Perez homers twice, Witt goes deep in hometown for 1st time as Royals beat Rangers 6-1

By: Schuyler Dixon, The Associated Press Posted: 9:43 PM CDT Tuesday, Jun. 17, 2025

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Salvador Perez homered twice, Bobby Witt Jr. went deep in his hometown team's ballpark for the first time and the Kansas City Royals stopped a six-game losing streak with a 6-1 victory over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night.

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ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Salvador Perez homered twice, Bobby Witt Jr. went deep in his hometown team’s ballpark for the first time and the Kansas City Royals stopped a six-game losing streak with a 6-1 victory over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night.

Seth Lugo struck out a season-high nine for his first win since May 1 as all three active Kansas City All-Stars from last year’s Midsummer Classic at Globe Life Field returned to Texas and had a hand in ending the team’s five-game skid against the Rangers.

Lugo (4-5), who threw a scoreless inning in the American League’s 5-3 victory last July, gave up three hits and a run over six innings in his return to Arlington.

Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez reacts after hitting a solo home run off Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jack Leiter during the sixth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, June 17, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

With the Royals coming off an 0-6 homestand that matched their longest losing streak of the season, Perez hit a two-run shot for a 3-0 lead in the first inning. After adding an RBI double in the fourth, Perez connected for his eighth homer of the year, a solo shot that made it 6-1 in the sixth.

Witt also homered off Jack Leiter in a matchup between sons of former major league pitchers. Witt grew up in the Dallas area, where Bobby Witt settled after spending 11 of his 16 big league seasons with the Rangers.

Leiter (4-4) is the son of Al Leiter, who had a 19-year major league career. The rookie right-hander gave up eight hits and six runs — both matching season highs — in 5 2/3 innings.

The Rangers equaled their season high by striking out 14 times.

Key moment

Texas rookie Alejandro Osuna had his first career RBI in the fourth.

Key stat