The Kansas City Royals entered Wednesday's game looking for their fourth straight win. Matt Quatraro's team defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 in the second matchup of the series. Salvador Perez, playing at first base on a night off from catching, got things off to a good start. After Bobby Witt Jr. failed to score in the first inning, Perez took Bailey Falter deep.

The former All-Star crushed one of Falter's sinkers 444 feet to left-center field. He hit the ball 110.4 miles per hour, according to Major League Baseball's social media page.

The home run is Perez's 12th of the season. The Royals captain is third on the team in home runs behind Witt Jr. and Vinnie Pasquantino. Kansas City rookie Jac Caglianone followed up the veteran in the fourth inning with a two-run shot off of Falter. That home run gave the Royals a 3-0 lead against the Pirates, threatening to turn the game into a blowout.

Perez and Kansas City would like to finish off their sweep of Pittsburgh at home before their next series. Starting on Friday, the New York Mets are in town for a three-game set to finish off the first half of each team's season. For a Royals team fighting for a wild card spot in the American League, every win counts.

For the first time since 2022, Perez will not represent his team in the All-Star Game. That distinction lies with Witt Jr. and starting pitcher Kris Bubic, who is in Royals trade rumors. While it will be strange for fans to not see the veteran at MLB's mid-summer classic, his focus is on helping his team into the playoffs.

The Royals sit more than ten games behind the Detroit Tigers for the lead in their division. At this point in the season, their best road to the postseason is securing a wild card spot. Unfortunately for them, their competition is stiff. In order to make it in, Kansas City needs more home runs from Perez and the team's stars throughout the back half of the season.

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