KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kyle Isbel’s bunt single highlighted a three-run seventh as the Kansas City Royals beat the Houston Astros 10-8 on Saturday night.
Reliever Hector Neris (6-3) flipped head over heels trying to glove Isbel’s squeeze bunt RBI hit in the seventh inning. Breaking a 6-all tie, the Royals added two more runs, aided by third baseman Alex Bregman’s throwing error.
With the Texas Rangers losing 2-1 at Cleveland, Houston maintained a half-game lead in the American League West Division despite the loss.
The Royals built a 4-0 lead against Astros starter J.P. France as Salvador Perez doubled in a pair of first-inning runs, and Nelson Velázquez added a pair of RBIs. Bobby Witt Jr. had two hits, scored twice, and stole his 47th base, which is the most for Kansas City since Tom Goodwin stole 66 in 1996.
France allowed five runs on five hits and four walks in 4 1/3 innings.
Houston rallied against Kansas City starter Cole Ragans, scoring three runs in the fifth with Yainer Diaz's 22nd homer and a pair of two-out RBI hits.
Ragans completed six innings, allowing five runs on six hits and two walks, striking out seven.
Jose Altuve hit a three-run homer that curved just fair inside the left-field foul pole to tie the game in the seventh.
Logan Porter capped Kansas City’s scoring with his first major league home run in the eighth.
James McArthur struck out two for his first major league victory.
After the Astros scored two ninth-inning runs, Taylor Clarke retired Diaz to earn his second save.
Houston lost their first road series since dropping 2 of 3 at Dodger Stadium June 23-25.
Rain delayed the game’s start by 36 minutes.
The clubs wore Negro Leagues uniforms, with the Astros sporting 1950 Houston Eagles road jerseys and the Royals in 1945 Kansas City Monarchs home uniforms. The game-used jerseys and caps will be auctioned with all proceeds benefiting the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
TRAINERS ROOM
A fifth-inning foul tip dislodged Royals catcher Salvador Perez’s face mask; he left the game two batters later with a nonconcussive head impact.
UP NEXT
Astros LHP Framber Valdez (11-10, 3.32) opposes Royals RHP Jordan Lyles (4-16, 6.44) in Sunday’s series finale.
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