Perez homers, makes key pickoff to lead Royals over Mariners

Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez celebrates after a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Saturday, July 9, 2016.
Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez celebrates after a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Saturday, July 9, 2016.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Salvador Perez homered and made a key pickoff throw Saturday to help the Kansas City Royals beat the Seattle Marines 5-3.

Perez hit a solo home run off the foul pole in the seventh inning that gave the Royals a two-run lead.

In the eighth, the World Series MVP made the defensive play of the game. With runners at the corners and one out, the star catcher trapped Kyle Seager off first base.

The pickoff was Perez's first of the season and 18th of his career.

Edinson Volquez (8-8) gave up three runs and six hits in six innings.

Kelvin Herrera pitched a perfect ninth for his first save since April 10, 2013 to seal the victory.

Wade Miley (6-6) gave up 10 hits. He left after Cheslor Cuthbert's RBI single made it 4-3 in the sixth.

Cuthbert also doubled and finished with two RBIs.

Seager hit his 18th homer, tying it at 3 in the fourth. Nelson Cruz added two hits for Seattle.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Royals: LHP Jason Vargas threw a simulated game and manager Ned Yost was encouraged by the progress he showed. "Looked good, really good," he said. "Three pitches, good changeup, fastball with life. Good breaking ball, good first step." Yost anticipates Vargas could make a return in September.

ROSTER MOVE

The Cleveland Indians claimed LHP Tyler Olson off waivers from the Royals and will be sent to Triple-A Columbus. Olson was designated for assignment by the Royals on July 5.

UP NEXT

In Sunday's finale, former Royals draftee LHP Mike Montgomery (2-3) will get the start for the Mariners against RHP Dillion Gee (1-0). Montgomery was selected in the first round in 2008 and was part of the December 2012 trade with Tampa Bay that brought pitchers Wade Davis and James Shields to Kansas City. "Probably cool for Mike," Mariners manager Scott Servais said. "I know he was drafted by the Royals, was a high prospect there. The anxiety of going back and pitching against your friends, your teammates, your former teammates, but he's been away long enough now, I hope that it's kind of gone away and I'm sure he'll give us a good effort."

GAME VIDEO

Royals vs. Mariners highlights