Salvy splash! Royals walk off in nightcap

KANSAS CITY — After not being able to capitalize on the chances the Royals had throughout Game 2 of Saturday’s doubleheader against the Blue Jays, Salvador Perez capitalized when it counted.

The All-Star catcher launched a no-doubt homer over the left-center-field wall in the bottom of the seventh inning for the 3-2 walk-off victory in the nightcap for a twin-bill split at Kauffman Stadium.

Perez and the Royals’ bench knew he’d gotten all of a slider from Blue Jays reliever Joel Payamps as soon as he made contact. The projected distance was 459 feet, according to Statcast, for Kansas City’s first walk-off of the 2021 season.

The Royals were held hitless through five innings against Steven Matz in a 5-1 loss in the opener, but they got off to a better start in Game 2. Jarrod Dyson showed off his familiar wheels with a leadoff triple in the third inning and raced home on Andrew Benintendi’s fielder’s choice grounder. Benintendi scored on Carlos Santana’s double to the right-center-field wall, but that was all the Royals could muster off Tommy Milone and the Blue Jays’ bullpen until the seventh.

Mike Minor’s 5 2/3-innings start in Game 1, despite giving up four runs in the loss, allowed the Royals to be aggressive with their bullpen in Game 2 after starter Ervin Santana allowed one run in three innings. After Jake Brentz yielded a run in the fourth, high-leverage relievers Scott Barlow, Josh Staumont and Greg Holland combined for 3 2/3 scoreless innings.