Witt Jr. and Perez homer to back Cameron’s strong start as Royals beat Pirates 9-3

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez hit two of Kansas City’s four home runs to back a strong start by rookie Noah Cameron, and the Royals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-3 on Monday night.

Cameron (3-4) struck out seven in a season-high seven innings. The left-hander allowed three hits, a walk, and two runs — on Tommy Pham’s two-run shot in the third.

Witt went 2 for 3 and scored twice to extend his hitting streak to 11 games. Witt hit his 13th homer, a two-run shot the opposite way to right-center field off reliever Chase Shugart to give the Royals a 6-2 lead in the fourth. He added a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

Witt finished off a seven-game trip Sunday by extending his club-record hitting streak on the road to 25 games.

Perez hit his 11th homer, a solo shot to left in the fifth for a five-run advantage. He hit his 24th double off the top of the wall in left to drive in a run for a 3-2 lead in the third.

Vinnie Pasquantino hit a two-out pitch from Andrew Heaney in the first for his 15th homer and a 1-0 lead. Nick Loftin hit his second, a one-out solo shot off Génesis Cabrera in the eighth. Heaney (4-8) threw 76 pitches and allowed four runs in three innings.

Pham’s homer was his third. It snapped Pittsburgh’s 30-inning scoreless streak and gave the Pirates a 2-1 lead.

Steven Cruz pitched a scoreless eighth and Jonathan Bowlan allowed Alexander Canario’s RBI single in the ninth to finish for Kansas City.

Key moment

Cameron didn’t surrender a hit after Bryan Reynolds’ leadoff single in the third.

Key stat

The Royals hit more home runs in their first home game of July than they did in the month of June.

Up next

Pirates RHP Mitch Keller (3-10, 3.64) starts Tuesday opposite Royals RHP Seth Lugo (6-5, 2.65).

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