JJ Wetherholt hits 2 homers as the Cardinals beat the Royals 12-10 to avoid a sweep

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — JJ Wetherholt hit two home runs and had three RBIs as the St. Louis Cardinals avoided a series sweep with a 12-10 win over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.

Masyn Winn hit a three-run homer in the Cardinals’ five-run first inning and Iván Herrera hit a three-run home run in the fifth for a 12-7 lead.

Wetherholt went 3 for 5 with a leadoff home run and a two-run home run in the second. Winn also hit an RBI single in the second for four RBIs.

Lars Nootbaar and Alec Burleson hit RBI singles as St. Louis had a season-high 16 hits.

The Royals rallied after entering the bottom of the second down 9-2.

Nick Loftin and Jac Caglianone hit two-run homers to make it 9-6 in the second. Caglianone’s 444-foot home run into the second level of the right-field Kauffman Stadium fountain extended his home run streak to three games. Caglianone hit a solo home run in the ninth for his team-leading 12th of the year.

Salvador Perez hit an RBI single in the fourth. Carter Jensen hit a solo home run in the sixth. Perez scored on a fielder’s choice in the ninth, avoiding a tag and touching home.

St. Louis starter Dustin May allowed six runs in two innings. St. Louis used seven relievers with Gordon Graceffo (5-1) pitching one inning for the win.

Stephen Kolek (4-2) gave up nine runs on nine hits with one walk and one hit batter in 1 1/3 innings.

Bobby Witt Jr. was out of the lineup for the Sunday series finale after leaving Thursday’s game with a grade-1 MCL Sprain. Witt will be reevaluated on Monday.

Up next

The Royals visit Tampa Bay on Monday with RHP Michael Wacha (4-5, 3.64 ERA) scheduled to start for KC. St. Louis returns home to face Arizona on Monday. RHP Andre Pallante (8-4, 3.76) is slated to take the mound for the Cardinals.

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