Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Salvador Perez homered and finished with four RBIs Saturday afternoon for the visiting Kansas City Royals, who beat the New York Mets 11-7 in the middle game of a three-game interleague series.

Bobby Witt Jr. finished 2-for-5 with four runs scored for the Royals, who have won eight of nine. Nick Loftin was 2-for-3 with three RBIs while Hunter Renfroe had two hits and two RBIs.

Nelson Velazquez had two hits and an RBI, Garrett Hampson added two hits and two stolen bases while Freddy Fermin had a run-scoring single.

Alec Marsh (2-0) allowed four runs on five hits and one walk while striking out two over five innings.

Pete Alonso went 3-for-3 with two homers and three RBIs for the Mets, who lost for just the third time in their past nine games.

Starling Marte was 3-for-5 with a homer while Brett Baty hit into a run-scoring fielder's choice, DJ Stewart laced an RBI double and Tyrone Taylor lofted a sacrifice fly. Joey Wendle added two hits.

Sean Manaea (1-1) gave up eight runs (six earned) on nine hits and three walks while striking out four over 3 2/3 innings.

There were two lead changes and one tie before the Royals took control by scoring four times in the fourth.

Velazquez had an RBI single in the top of the first before Alonso (single), Baty (fielder's choice) and Stewart (two-run double) gave the Mets a 3-1 lead against Marsh in the bottom half.

The Royals quickly tied the game in the second. Loftin drew a bases-loaded walk and Perez followed with a two-run single.

Alonso hit his first homer with two outs in the third before Kansas City went ahead for good in the fourth. Witt Jr. reached on a three-base error by Marte, who allowed the shortstop's fly ball to glance off his glove, before trotting home on Loftin's single.

Perez then hit a two-run homer before Fermin capped the inning with an RBI single.

Loftin delivered a sacrifice fly in the fifth and Renfroe had a two-run double in the sixth.

Marte homered leading off the eighth, when Taylor capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly.

-Field Level Media

More must-reads:

TODAY'S BEST
Celtics finally put away undermanned Cavaliers, advance to conference finals
Avalanche force Game 6 with big third period vs. Stars
MLB announces punishment for Astros' Ronel Blanco over foreign substance
Vikings HC shares big Justin Jefferson contract update
Rafael Nadal switches gears, gives major update on French Open status
DeMar DeRozan confirms desire to return to Bulls
Mavericks defense rises to occasion in Game 5 win vs. Thunder
Steelers to make history in final two months of 2024 season
Packers will play on Thanksgiving with a rare twist in 2024
Steelers veteran reportedly plans to sit out OTAs
Padres pitcher has honest reaction to team getting booed off the field
Athletics place lefty on 15-day IL, transfer infielder to 60-day
Atlanta to be first race of NASCAR's In-Season Tournament
West Point alum made history in his MLB debut with Reds
Heat legend cautions Lakers against hiring JJ Redick
Welcome to the WNBA: Caitlin Clark sets infamous record in debut
Jalen Brunson leads Knicks to blowout win in Game 5 vs. Pacers
Nikola Jokic torches DPOY to lead Nuggets past Wolves in Game 5
Oilers use late heroics to tie Canucks at two games each
Watch: Astros pitcher ejected after foreign substance check