KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Salvador Perez and Hunter Renfroe hit two-run homers during a five-run third inning Friday night, and the Kansas City Royals went on to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-4 in the opener of an interleague series between playoff contenders.
Perez parlayed his success in a Wiffle ball game against neighborhood kids a day earlier into a three-RBI night. Paul DeJong and Vinnie Pasquantino also drove in runs, helping the Royals close within a game of first-place Cleveland in the AL Central.
''The Wiffle ball yesterday got me ready for today,'' joked Perez, who also went over 900 RBIs for his career. ''Pretty good night.''
Michael Wacha (11-6) ran his winning streak to seven straight decisions, allowing two runs on six hits in six innings while striking out five. He hasn't lost since June 22, and he hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in a start since June 4.
Lucas Erceg worked around a leadoff double in the ninth for his 10th save and fourth since his trade to Kansas City.
''It was hard work," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. ''They're always going to make you work. That's a talented team.''
The troubles continued for the Phillies' Taijuan Walker (3-5), though. The veteran allowed six runs on eight hits and a walk in just three innings, and has now surrendered 30 runs on 43 hits and 18 walks over 38 innings in his eight starts.
''In the third, everything was in the middle of the plate. It was command,'' said Phillies manager Rob Thomson, who declined to say whether Walker would make his next scheduled start. ''It's more attacking the hitters, but then you don't want to be in the middle of the plate all the time. It's one of those things. He gets behind and then he has to come to the middle.''
