Royals catcher Salvador Perez picked David Fletcher off third with the bases loaded for the final out in the ninth inning, helping the Kansas City Royals beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-2 Tuesday night.
Danny Duffy pitched one-run ball over six innings, and Perez had two hits and an RBI.
Kansas City’s veteran backstop ended the game by blocking Greg Holland’s 0-2 pitch in the dirt. The ball bounced off batter Jared Walsh and right back to Perez, who picked it up and caught Fletcher venturing too far off third base.
Duffy (2-0) went six frames for a second straight outing, allowing eight hits and six strikeouts. He ended his night striking out Jack Mayfield with the bases loaded to close out the sixth.
Greg Holland completed a four-out save for his first of the season, which included a strikeout of Mike Trout, who was fanned four times in the game.
The Royals selected the contract of RHP Ervin Santana and recalled RHP Tyler Zuber while sending INF Ryan McBroom to the alternative site.
The Royals are in second place in the AL Central, just a half a game behind first place Cleveland, the Twins are in third, just one game out.
The Angels send RHP Griffin Canning (0-0, 6.75) to the mound as the Royals counter with RHP Brad Keller in a day game Wednesday, 1:10 at Kaufman Stadium.