Salvador Perez smashed a single, double, and home run, driving in two runs, and the Royals enjoyed a six-run seventh inning to make the game a laugher in a 9-2 win over the Tigers Friday night.
The nationally televised game on Apple TV+ featured an All-Star pitching matchup between Cole Ragans of the Royals and Tarik Skubal of the Tigers. Detroit got to Ragans first when Justyn-Henry Malloy hit a two-run home run in the first inning. Salvador Perez got a run back with his 20th home run of the year, a solo home run. Salvy now has 20 home runs in a season for the eighth time in his career - the only catchers with more 20+ home run seasons are Mike Piazza and Johnny Bench with 11, Brian McCann and Yogi Berra with 10, and Gary Carter with 9.