Andrew Benintendi had two hits, including a grand slam, and five RBIs as the Kansas City Royals swept a two-game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 10-5 victory Tuesday night.
Salvador Perez had two home runs and three RBIs.
Brady Singer (3-4) picked up the win. He allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Wil Crowe (0-4) took the loss. He allowed eight runs on eight hits in four-plus innings.
The Pirates’ Adam Frazier, who ended May with the most hits (40) in the National League, started June by going 2-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and a walk.
The Royals scored in the first on an RBI single by Andrew Benintendi. Whit Merrifield led off with a single and went to second on a groundout. Benintendi ripped it into right center and was thrown out trying to advance to second.
Singer loaded the bases with no outs in the third inning. Following an infield single, a walk and a hit batter, Bryan Reynolds’ RBI single tied the score. Sacrifice flies by Gregory Polanco and Ben Gamel drove in the next two runs, giving the Pirates a 3-1 lead.
The Pirates added another run in the fourth. Kevin Newman singled and raced home when Michael Perez sent one to the wall in right center for a double.
Salvador Perez hit his 11th home run in the bottom of the fourth to draw the Royals to within one run. Carlos Santana led off with a single. With one out Perez launched a two-run blast into the Pirates’ bullpen in left.
Crowe gave up a lead-off triple to Michael A. Taylor in the fifth, then walked Nicky Lopez. Merrifield then singled in Taylor and Santana walked, loading the bases for Benintendi. He hit his second career grand slam into the Royals’ bullpen.
The Pirates scored once in the sixth, but left the bases loaded. Frazier’s bloop double drove in the run.
Perez’s second homer came in the seventh and Taylor had a sacrifice fly in the eighth.
–Field Level Media