Salvador Perez hits grand slam, drives in 6 as Royals sweep Guardians, close within 1 in AL Central

CLEVELAND (AP) — Salvador Perez hit a grand slam and drove in a career-high six runs as the Kansas City Royals completed a doubleheader sweep of Cleveland, beating the Guardians 9-4 on Monday night to pull within one game of first in the AL Central.

The Royals won the opener 4-3 as Bobby Witt Jr.’s 27th homer — and 11th since July 19 — snapped a tie in the eighth inning.

After being nine games back in early July, the Royals have chipped away at Cleveland’s lead by posting an AL-best 22-13 record since the All-Star break. They can now move into a tie for the division lead with a win Tuesday.

“You couldn't ask for any more,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “By no means does that mean anything is done. But these guys played extremely hard today after getting beaten up the last couple days (losing back-to-back blowouts to Philadelphia) and put that behind them.”

In Game 2, the 34-year-old Perez, who served as DH after catching the opener in hot conditions, hit a solo homer in the fifth inning — after nearly striking out — and then connected for his sixth career slam in the sixth off Tim Herrin.

The nine-time All-Star catcher has 17 career multi-homer games, tying him with Hall of Famer George Brett for the most in Kansas City history.

“He's remarkable,” Quatraro said. “To catch that first game he was drained, you could tell, physically and mentally. Then to go out there and put those at-bats together was remarkable.”

The Guardians, who have led the Central since April 14, dropped to 0-8 in doubleheaders this season and 1-15 the last two.

But manager Stephen Vogt doesn't see any heads hanging.

“They're pros,” he said. “They know it was a rough day. Every time we have a tough day, they come back ready to win. This group’s not going to get discouraged. It’s not in their DNA. They all know where we’re at.”

Leading 5-4 in the sixth, the Royals loaded the bases and had a runner forced at the plate before Perez drove his 25th homer 457 feet into the bleachers. Perez's shot tied him with Frank White for the most slams in Royals history.

José Ramírez had three doubles, giving Cleveland's star third baseman two or more extra-base hits in 109 games to tie him with Tris Speaker for second in club history behind Earl Averill (135). Ramírez has also reached 30 homers, 30 doubles and 30 steals in a season for the second time.

Perez's homer in the fifth off Logan Allen (8-5) came one pitch after he caught a break.

He fouled back a 3-2 pitch that catcher Bo Naylor appeared to snare before it hit the ground. But plate umpire John Tumpane looked into Naylor's glove and noticed dirt on the ball, giving Perez new life.

With another chance, he pulled his 24th homer into the bleachers to give Kansas City a 5-4 lead.

Tumpane made the same call in the sixth, and this time Guardians pitching coach Carl Willis was ejected for arguing.

Willis not only felt Perez swung and missed, but that he didn't make contact.

“I don't think that it hit the bat,” Willis said. “They made the call they made, and the next pitch goes over the wall, then a half-inning later kind of a replay of the same scenario. That kind of set me off a little bit.”

In the opener, Witt connected on a 0-1 pitch from rookie Hunter Gaddis (4-3), driving it 413 feet into the left-field bleachers.

The All-Star shortstop came in batting .417 since the break, the fourth-highest average (with at least 125 at-bats) in the second half since World War II. Only Ted Williams (.454 in 1957), Ichiro Suzuki (.429, 2004) and George Brett (.421, 1980) have hit higher.

It was just another noteworthy moment of many in 2024 for Witt.

“He's always present,” Quatraro said. “He doesn't care what he's done prior or what he's going to do tomorrow. He's going to be in that box and trying to beat you right there. Bobby's a special player.”

MJ Melendez belted a three-run homer and made a sensational catch in left field for the Royals in Game 1.

John Schreiber (4-3) worked 1 2/3 innings and Lucas Erceg put the tying run on with a walk in the ninth before getting his fifth save since coming to Kansas City in a July 30 trade from Oakland.

Reliever Nick Sandlin made his first major league start for Cleveland in the opener. The right-hander hadn't started a game since his junior year at Southern Miss in 2018.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Royals: LHP Will Smith (back spasms) was placed on the 15-day injured list, one day after he allowed five runs in one inning against Philadelphia. Quatraro said Smith's back issue has “been lingering for a while.”

Guardians: RHP Alex Cobb (broken fingernail) didn't have any problems while throwing a bullpen session Sunday. He's scheduled to throw live batting practice Tuesday. Cobb was acquired at the trade deadline from San Francisco.

UP NEXT

Guardians RHP Gavin Williams (2-6, 5.13 ERA) starts Tuesday against Royals RHP Michael Lorenzen (7-6, 3.47), who threw seven scoreless innings in his most recent outing.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez celebrate after a grand slam hit by Perez during the sixth inning of the second game of a baseball doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Nick Cammett)

Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez celebrates hitting a grand slam during the sixth inning of the second game of a baseball doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Nick Cammett)

Kansas City Royals' Paul DeJong celebrates with teammates after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of the second game of a baseball doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Nick Cammett)

Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. hits a double during the third inning of the second game of a baseball doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Nick Cammett)

Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. (7) celebrates hitting a double during the third inning of the second game of a baseball doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Nick Cammett)

Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, left, makes a pitching change during the sixth inning of the second game of a baseball doubleheader against the Kansas City Royals, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Nick Cammett)

Cleveland Guardians pitching coach Carl Willis argues a strike call during the sixth inning of the second game of a baseball doubleheader against the Kansas City Royals, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Nick Cammett)

Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez hits a solo home run during the fifth inning of the second game of a baseball doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Nick Cammett)

Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez (13) and Bobby Witt Jr., left, celebrate after a solo home run by Perez during the fifth inning of the second game of a baseball doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Nick Cammett)

Kansas City Royals' MJ Melendez, right, watches his three-run home run off Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Eli Morgan along with Austin Hedges, left, during the fourth inning of the first game of a baseball doubleheader in Cleveland, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Kansas City Royals' Michael Massey, left, forces Cleveland Guardians' Steven Kwan (38) at second base to end the sixth inning of the first game of a baseball doubleheader in Cleveland, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Cleveland Guardians' Josh Naylor, right, watches his RBI single off Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Kris Bubic with Salvador Perez, left, during the seventh inning of the first game of a baseball doubleheader in Cleveland, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Nick Sandlin delivers against the Kansas City Royals during the first inning of the first game of a baseball doubleheader in Cleveland, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Cleveland Guardians' Jose Ramirez runs to first base after hitting a double off Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Kris Bubic during the seventh inning of the first game of a baseball doubleheader in Cleveland, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez, left, congratulates Lucas Erceg, right, at the end of the first game of a baseball doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Kansas City Royals' MJ Melendez is congratulated by his teammates after hitting a three-run home run off Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Eli Morgan during the fourth inning of the first game of a baseball doubleheader in Cleveland, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Kansas City Royals' Kyle Isbel, left, laughs with MJ Melendez, right, after congratulating him for his diving catch during the fifth inning of the first game of a baseball doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Kansas City Royals' MJ Melendez (1) is greeted by Freddy Fermin, left, Vinnie Pasquantino (9) and Salvador Perez, center right, after his three-run home run off Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Eli Morgan during the fourth inning of the first game of a baseball doubleheader in Cleveland, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Hunter Gaddis, front, reacts after giving up a solo home run to Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr., rear, during the eighth inning of the first game of a baseball doubleheader in Cleveland, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr., right, congratulates Lucas Erceg, left, at the end of the first game of a baseball doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. watches his solo home run off Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Hunter Gaddis during the eighth inning of the first game of a baseball doubleheader in Cleveland, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. is congratulated by his teammates after hitting a solo home run off Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Hunter Gaddis inning of the first game of a baseball doubleheader in Cleveland, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Aircraft assembly workers walked off the job at at Boeing factories near Seattle and elsewhere early Friday after union members voted overwhelmingly to go on strike.

Boeing is just the latest business to grapple with union workers over issues including wages and benefits like health care.

Here's a look at some recent company negotiations with their unions.

Late last year the United Auto Workers union overwhelmingly ratified new contracts with Ford and Stellantis, along with a similar deal with General Motors, that would raise pay across the industry and force automakers to absorb higher costs.

The agreements, which run through April 2028, ended contentious talks that began in the summer of 2022 and led to six-week-long strikes at all three automakers.

The new contract agreements were widely seen as a victory for the UAW. The companies agreed to dramatically raise pay for top-scale assembly plant workers, with increases and cost-of-living adjustments that would translate into 33% wage gains.

Top assembly plant workers were to receive immediate 11% raises and would earn roughly $42 an hour when the contracts expire in April of 2028.

Under the agreements, the automakers also ended many of the multiple tiers of wages they had used to pay different workers. They also agreed in principle to bring new electric-vehicle battery plants into the national union contract.

UPS workers that are members of the Teamsters union approved a tentative contract with the package delivery company last year. The run up to the approval was not smooth though, with contentious labor negotiations that threatened to disrupt package deliveries for millions of businesses and households nationwide.

After negotiations broke down in early July 2023, Atlanta-based UPS reached a tentative contract agreement with the Teamsters just days before an Aug. 1 deadline.

At the time the tentative agreement was struck, full- and part-time union workers were set to get $2.75 more per hour in 2023, and $7.50 more in total by the end of the five-year contract. Starting hourly pay for part-time employees also got bumped up to $21, but some workers said that fell short of their expectations.

UPS said at the time that by the end of the new contract, the average UPS full-time driver would make about $170,000 annually in pay and benefits. It was not clear how much of that figure benefits accounted for.

As part of the deal, the delivery company also agreed to make Martin Luther King Jr. Day a full holiday, end forced overtime on drivers’ days off and stop using driver-facing cameras in cabs, among a host of other issues. It eliminated a two-tier wage system for drivers and tentative deals on safety issues were also reached, including equipping more trucks with air conditioning.

Earlier this month video game performers reached agreements with 80 individual games that have signed interim or tiered budget agreements with the performers’ union and accepted the artificial intelligence provisions they have been seeking.

The performers had been striking for over a month.

Members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists began striking in July after negotiations with game industry giants that began more than a year and a half ago came to a halt over AI protections.

The interim agreement secures wage improvements, protections around “exploitative uses” of artificial intelligence and safety precautions that account for the strain of physical performances, as well as vocal stress. The tiered budget agreement aims to make working with union talent more feasible for independent game developers or smaller-budget projects while also providing performers the protections under the interim agreement.

Last month thousands of hospitality union workers on the Las Vegas Strip reached a tentative deal with the Venetian and Palazzo resorts, a first for employees at the sprawling Italian-inspired complex that opened 25 years ago.

The Culinary Workers Union announced on the social platform X that the deal came together after a year of negotiations. It covers over 4,000 hotel and casino workers, from housekeepers and cocktail servers to bartenders and porters.

Bethany Khan, a union spokesperson, said the deal mirrors the major wins secured in recent contracts awarded to 40,000 hospitality workers at 18 Strip properties owned or operated by casino giants MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment and Wynn Resorts.

Those wins included a 32% pay increase over five years, housekeeping workload reductions and improved job security amid advancements in technology and artificial intelligence.

The bump in pay under those contracts will amount to an average $35 hourly wage by the end of the contracts, according to the union. Workers at these properties were making about $26 hourly with benefits before winning their latest contracts in November.

Unions representing 85,000 health care workers reached a tentative agreement with industry giant Kaiser Permanente in October 2023 following a strike over wages and staffing levels.

The deal included setting minimum hourly wages at $25 in California, where most of Kaiser’s facilities are located, and $23 in other states. Workers would also see a 21% wage increase over four years.

The lead up to the tentative agreement included a three-day strike involving 75,000 workers in multiple states.

The tentative agreement also included protective terms around subcontracting and outsourcing, as well as initiatives to invest in the current workforce and address a staffing crisis.

Hollywood’s actors voted to ratify a deal with studios in December 2023 that ended their strike after nearly four months, bringing an official finish to a labor strife that shook the entertainment industry for most of last year.

Members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists approved a three-year contract.

Control over the use of artificial intelligence was the most hard-fought issue in the long, methodical negotiations. The contract called for a 7% general pay increase with further hikes coming in the second and third years of the deal.

The agreement also included a hard-won provision that temporarily derailed talks: the creation of a fund to pay performers for future viewings of their work on streaming services, in addition to traditional residuals paid for the showing of movies or series.

Boeing Machinists Union members Steven Wilson, left, Dave Hendrickson, center,, and Mark Erickson, right, wave to passing traffic while on the picket line at the Renton assembly plant, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Renton, Wash. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)