Jul 02, 2025

⚾ Perez moves into 6th place on Royals hit list

Posted Jul 02, 2025 4:56 AM
Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez follows through on a two-run double to score Bobby Witt Jr. and Vinnie Pasquantino against the Seattle Mariners during the fifth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 1, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez follows through on a two-run double to score Bobby Witt Jr. and Vinnie Pasquantino against the Seattle Mariners during the fifth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 1, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

By ANDREW DESTIN
AP Sports Writer

SEATTLE (AP) — The late sunsets that accompany Seattle summers are revered by most locals, but the odds are Mariners center fielder Julio Rodríguez was not a fan during the fifth inning of Tuesday night's game against the Kansas City Royals.

Rodríguez lost a flyball to center field from Royals catcher Salvador Perez in the twilight sky, and it turned into a two-run double.

Rodríguez climbed the center field wall, trying to rob a home run, but he misjudged the ball and it bounced off the wall nearby.

Not only did Perez's double give the Royals a 5-1 lead en route to a 6-3 victory, but it moved him past Alex Gordon for the sixth-most hits in Royals history. The 35-year-old backstop has 1,646 hits in 14-season MLB career.

“For him to just keep checking boxes on a Hall of Fame career is really special to be able to watch," said manager Matt Quatraro.