Perez and Caglianone power Royals to 4-3 win over Pirates for 3-game sweep

By: David Smale, The Associated Press Posted: 9:45 PM CDT Wednesday, Jul. 9, 2025

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez homered twice, Jac Caglianone hit the longest measured homer by a Royals rookie, and Kansas City beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 on Wednesday night to complete a three-game sweep.

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Perez broke a 3-3 tie in the eighth inning with his longball off Isaac Mattson (2-1). He opened the scoring with a 444-foot shot to center in the second.

But the most impressive homer of the game belonged to Caglianone — a 466-foot, two-run drive to center in the fourth against Bailey Falter. It was the longest homer by a Royals rookie since Statcast started tracking in 2015 and the fourth-longest by any Kansas City player at Kauffman Stadium.

Kansas City Royals' Nick Loftin (12) celebrates with Salvador Perez (13) after hitting a two-run home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

The Royals have won six of seven overall. They did not have a multi-homer game this season before doing it Monday night against Pittsburgh, and now they’ve done it three games in a row. Kansas City hit nine homers in the series.

Pittsburgh fell to 0-6 on its nine-game trip ahead of the All-Star break after getting shut out in three straight games at Seattle.

Perez had his second multi-homer game of the season and 19th of his career, extending his franchise record.

Lucas Erceg (4-2) worked a scoreless eighth and Carlos Estevez pitched the ninth for his 25th save.

Ke’Bryan Hayes had a two-run single in the Pirates’ three-run sixth.

Key moment

Perez sent the first pitch of the eighth to the walkway just short of the fountains in right-center.

Key stat

Kansas City swept a series at home for the first time since a four-game sweep of the Chicago White Sox in early May.