KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez hit a game-ending single in the 10th inning and the Kansas City Royals beat the Houston Astros 4-3 on Tuesday night for their fifth straight win.
Garrett Hampson started the Kansas City 10th at second as the pinch runner, replacing Vinny Pasquantino. Hampson drove in when Perez led off the inning with a single against Wonder Suero (0-1).
“We’re going to play hard,” Perez said. “We’re going to do our best, especially right now. We have a new comfort.”
James McArthur (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings for the win.
Perez and Nelson Velazquez each had two hits for the Royals. Bobby Witt Jr. and Michael Garcia each drove in one run.
Nick Anderson, Chris Stratton, Jon Schreiber and McArthur combined for five scoreless innings with four hits in relief of Royals starter Cole Ragans.
“These guys are amazing,” Ragans said of the bull. “They performed amazingly. They kept us right there. This is really, really big.”
Witt’s biggest contribution might have been stopping Jeremy Peña’s diving single with two outs in the top of the 10th. Had the ball gone past the young leg, the Astros likely would have taken the lead.
“I thought he had a chance to go through,” Peña said. “I’m going to give a shout out to Bobby Witt. (He) made a good play.”
Jordan Alvarez had four hits and two RBIs for Houston, which has won two straight. Peña had two hits and scored a run.
The Astros loaded the bases with three straight singles to start the first inning, but the Ragans limited the damage with a run-scoring fielder’s choice to Yainer Diaz.
“I don’t think (Ragans) had his best stuff,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “It’s a good line-up and they made it work. (But) if we turn that double play in the first or he can get Alvarez out of one of those two-strike moments, he’ll get out of there with one or maybe no strikeouts. To his credit, indeed.
Alvarez singled in Peña with two outs in the second and then doubled off Mauricio Dubon in the fourth.
Ragans surrendered 10 hits in five innings for Kansas City. He struck out five and walked one.
Houston went 5 for 18 with runners in scoring position and left 13 runners on base.
“We had some opportunities to get some guys in (with) less than two outs,” Houston manager Joe Espada said. “We just couldn’t capitalize.”
Houston right-hander Christian Javier was charged with three runs, two earned and five hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out four and walked three.
Mikel Garcia’s sacrifice fly in the fifth ended Javier’s 15-inning hitting streak to start the season. Witt drove in Hunter Renfrow with two triples and then scored on an error by third baseman Alex Bregman.
Transactions
Astros: Placed LHP Framber Valdez on the 10-day disabled list with left elbow inflammation. They optioned Suero’s contract from Triple-A Sugar Land to take his place. The Astros also recalled LHP Parker Mushinski from Sugar Land and optioned RHP Blair Henley to the minors. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Astros transferred RHP Oliver Ortega to the 60-day IL.
Royals: Acquired RHP Colin Selby from Pittsburgh for minor league pitcher Connor Oliver. To make room on the 40-man roster for Selby, LHP Josh Taylor was placed on 60-day IL. The Royals also signed RHP Zach Davies to a minor league deal.
Next up
The Astros and Royals continue their three-game series on Wednesday. RHP Spencer Arrighetti will make his major league debut for Houston against Seth Lugo (1-0, 0.71 ERA).
