Royals slugger Salvador Perez's two-homer game sends Pirates to sixth consecutive loss

Colin Beazley, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Jul 9, 2025

Published in Baseball

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As the Pirates’ road trip moves to a third city, the search for their first win of the trip continues.

The Pirates’ losing streak reached six on Wednesday night at Kauffman Stadium, as they fell, 4-3, to the Royals. It’s the second time they’ve been swept on this road trip and seventh time this season.

Royals first baseman Salvador Perez was the hero, going 3 for 4 with two homers. His eighth-inning homer off Pirates reliever Isaac Mattson was the decider, breaking a 3-3 tie.

The Pirates fell into an early hole after starter Bailey Falter gave up two mammoth home runs. Perez led off the second inning with a 444-foot blast that took a bounce into the center-field fountain. Rookie right fielder Jac Caglianone went bigger in the fourth, launching a ball 466 feet over the center-field batter’s eye for a two-run homer. Both came on first-pitch sinkers Falter left over the middle of the plate.

But the Pirates came all the way back in the sixth. They loaded the bases with no outs against Royals All-Star starter Kris Bubic, who had allowed just three hits in the first five innings, on two singles and a walk. Center fielder Oneil Cruz brought in the first run with a groundout, then third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes tied it with a two-run single to left.

Reliever Braxton Ashcraft kept the Pirates in it. He threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, striking out three and allowing three hits. But Perez launched the first pitch that he saw saw from Mattson and the ball went over the center-field wall.

It was over when ...

Royals right-hander Carlos Estevez closed it out, allowing one hit and striking out one in the ninth.

On the mound

Falter pitched 4 2/3 innings. He gave up six hits, five for extra bases.

The pitch Perez hit off Mattson wasn’t in a particularly bad spot, as Mattson threw it down and away. But it didn’t get the movement Mattson wanted and Perez put a good swing on it. It’s the first loss Mattson has suffered in his major league career, as he’s now 2-1 this season and overall.

At the plate

The Pirates had seven hits, three by left fielder Tommy Pham. Pham went 3 for 4 and is now batting .444 (20 for 45) since June 22. That’s the best average in baseball in that span.

Most valuable player

Perez. It was his 19th career multi-homer game in a stellar 15-year major league career.

Up next

The Pirates are off Thursday before beginning a three-game set Friday in Minneapolis against the Twins. Paul Skenes (4-7, 1.94 ERA) will throw against Twins All-Star right-hander Joe Ryan (8-4, 2.76). First pitch is scheduled for 8:10 p.m.