Salvy's mad dash, slick slide spark Royals' 5th straight win

DETROIT -- Salvador Perez is a legend, both in his native Venezuela and his adopted home of Kansas City. He’s earned nine All-Star nods, five Gold Gloves and four Silver Slugger Awards. His name is as synonymous with the Royals as it is with the catching position. He’s one of the most recognizable faces of the game, and certainly a veteran with considerable influence on the clubhouse around him.

All that to say, no one would’ve questioned Perez if he’d have pulled up at third with no outs in the fourth inning at Comerica Park. But Perez has never just given “some.” His teammates were watching from the dugout rail, counting on him to make things happen against a formidable opponent in AL Cy Young candidate Tarik Skubal.

And so, when Hunter Renfroe’s double clanged off the bottom of a wall in the outfield and caromed over left fielder Ryan Vilade’s head, there was no stopping Salvy, who scored from first base during the Royals’ 9-2 win over the Tigers on Friday. Kansas City has now won five straight games, all of which came on the road.

“Playing with him is a joy,” said Cole Ragans, who moved to 8-7 after 5 2/3 innings of two-run ball. “He's the happiest guy. All he wants to do is win. He works so hard, and just getting to see him do his thing and have fun makes all of us happy and makes all of us have fun as well.”

Perez also homered in the second -- a Statcast-projected 448-foot shot -- and doubled in a run during Kansas City’s six-run seventh to finish 3-for-5 with three runs scored and a triple shy of the cycle. His two RBIs gave him 887 in his career, moving him into sole possession of fourth place on the Royals’ all-time list, behind only George Brett (1,596), Hal McRae (1,012) and Amos Otis (992).

Perez and his teammates did a lot of good against Skubal -- Kansas City pounded out 14 hits in the game and finished 7-for-11 with runners in scoring position -- but the hit parade had to start somewhere, and that was with a little Salvy spark in the fourth.

“I think doing the little details is a key,” said catcher Freddy Fermin, who extended his hit streak to 10 games after a 2-for-3 performance. “And everybody acts as one; that's the key to this game.”

The Tigers led, 2-1, after Justyn-Henry Mallory hit a two-run homer off Ragans in the first before Perez’s solo shot in the second -- his 20th blast of the season. Perez was on first, having torched a 109.1 mph single to center field. Renfroe scudded a ball up the third-base line that stayed just fair before hooking into the fence and bouncing off high in the air.

It’s important to note here that a sturdy lower half is a must for catchers, and as such, they’re not typically known for their fleet feet. Salvy didn’t care: The way he tore around second base suggested he’d have a lot more than six career stolen bases if things were left up to him.

“The ball bounced in the corner, and I followed my third-base coach,” Perez said. “He sent me, so I had to go.”

Replay captured the intensity on Perez’s face. His eyes were narrowed, and his teeth were clenched. Pumping his arms for all he was worth, Salvy barreled toward third. Perez had agreed to be mic’d up during the game for Apple TV+, and so each grunt was heard around the basepaths and he tore his way towards home.

“The Olympics are going on, and we were watching earlier,” quipped Bobby Witt Jr., “so it's just one big track story.”

Then in came the ball and Perez hit the dirt, scooting past home on his left hip and dragging his left hand across the plate just under Jake Rogers’ tag.

“No!” Salvy appealed passionately to home-plate umpire Alan Porter, who’d signaled that Perez was out on the tag. “He didn’t touch me! He didn’t touch me!”

The review was quick and Perez was ruled safe as the dugout howled in appreciation of the veteran’s hustle. Perez’s run did so much more than tie the game: It personified what the Royals are aiming to do in the stretch run. Give it their all, and win every battle.

And maybe even surprise a few people.

Friday’s victory marked Kansas City's fifth consecutive win, guaranteed the Royals at least a series split in Detroit and kept the club in control of the second AL Wild Card spot.