CLEVELAND (AP) — Salvador Perez became the 10th player in major league history to hit 200 homers as a catcher and Ryan Yarbrough allowed one run in six innings, lifting the Kansas City Royals to a 5-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Monday night.
Perez hit a two-run shot in the sixth off Logan Allen (4-3) to put Kansas City ahead 4-0. He has 240 homers overall in 12 seasons. Hall of Famer Mike Piazza holds the big league record for homers as a catcher with 396.
Yarbrough (3-5), who carried a shutout into the sixth, won at Cleveland for the second time in 15 days. The left-hander struck out one and didn’t issue a walk in his third start since being struck on the face by a liner from Oakland’s Ryan Noda on May 7.
Edward Olivares had a two-run double and Maikel Garcia hit a solo homer for Kansas City, which ended a five-game skid and has the second-worst record in baseball (29-73). Scott Barlow gave up two hits in the ninth before picking up his 12th save.
Myles Straw hit a two-run double in the seventh off Jose Cuas to pull the Guardians within 5-3.
Josh Bell had an RBI single for Cleveland, and Amed Rosario went 3 for 4 to move into a tie for the major league lead with his 12th three-hit game.
Cleveland fell 3 1/2 games behind first-place Minnesota in the AL Central. Earlier in the day, ace Shane Bieber was shifted to the 60-day injured list as he continues to battle right elbow inflammation.
Manager Terry Francona said the 2020 AL Cy Young winner has not experienced a setback but isn’t on track to return until mid-September. Bieber went 5-6 with a 3.77 ERA in 19 starts before getting hurt on July 9 against the Royals.
Rookie left-hander Allen matched his season highs with seven innings and five runs allowed, striking out five.
FRANCHISE FIXTURE
Perez, an eight-time All-Star and the 2015 World Series MVP with Kansas City, is one of 21 catchers with 500 extra-base hits and has a team-best 17 home runs this season.
“Everyone knows what a big part of the organization that Salvy is,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “And he continues to be one.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Guardians: RHP Triston McKenzie (right elbow strain), who was placed on the IL on June 17, will be permitted to pick up a baseball for the first time Thursday. ... RHP Cal Quantrill (right shoulder inflammation) threw a bullpen Saturday and has another scheduled for later this week.
UP NEXT
Royals RHP Zack Greinke (1-10, 5.40 ERA) takes on Guardians RHP Aaron Civale (3-2, 2.71). Greinke has not won on the road since Aug. 13, 2021, when he was pitching for Houston at Angel Stadium.
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