Oscar Mercado and Cesar Hernandez each belted a three-run homer, and Roberto Perez and Jose Ramirez also went deep to fuel the host Cleveland Indians to a 14-6 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.
Mercado added an RBI single, joining Harold Ramirez with three hits apiece for the Indians, who finished with 17.
Cleveland, which erupted for a season-high in runs, has won eight straight against Kansas City for the first time since the 2016 season.
Cal Quantrill (1-2) picked up his first win since Aug. 10, 2020, after allowing three runs on five hits in six innings.
Salvador Perez launched a two-run homer and Andrew Benintendi also went deep among his three hits for the Royals, who have lost 15 of their last 18 games overall and 12 in a row on the road.
Perez’s team-leading 21st homer staked Kansas City to 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth before Cleveland answered with six runs in its half of the inning.
Bobby Bradley halved the deficit with an RBI double before coming home three batters later following a fielding error by Royals center fielder Michael A. Taylor. Bradley Zimmer’s infield single gave the Indians a 3-2 lead before Hernandez deposited a first-pitch slider from Mike Minor (6-8) over the wall in left-center field for his 15th homer of the season.
Jose Ramirez scored his second of three runs following a double play in the fifth inning.
Benintendi’s solo blast in the sixth inning was his 10th homer of the season and second in his last five games.
Roberto Perez countered in the sixth with his fifth homer of the season and second in as many games. Amed Rosario added an RBI double later in the inning to give Cleveland a 9-3 lead.
Benintendi’s RBI single highlighted a three-run seventh inning for Kansas City, however Roberto Perez had an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh before Mercado put the game away. Mercado sent a 2-1 fastball from Kyle Zimmer over the wall in left field for his first homer of the season.
Kyle Zimmer did earn bragging rights by striking out his brother Bradley in the seventh inning.
–Field Level Media