Royals 4, Mariners 3
Salvador Perez drilled the tiebreaking single in the eighth inning and also homered among three hits as host Kansas City posted its eighth victory in 10 games.
Mike Moustakas doubled off Yoervis Medina (4-4) with two outs in the eighth and narrowly beat left fielder Endy Chavez's throw to the plate on Perez's base hit. The win kept Kansas City within 4 1/2 games of the Tampa Bay Rays for the American League’s second wild-card berth.
Luke Hochevar (4-2) extinguished a Seattle threat by retiring the final two hitters in the eighth and Greg Holland struck out two in the ninth for his 31st consecutive save conversion and 38th overall in 40 opportunities.
Alex Gordon drove Erasmo Ramirez’s first pitch of the game over the right-field fence and Perez hit a solo blast to left in the fourth. The Royals increased the lead to 3-0 on Billy Butler’s RBI single in the fifth, but Kyle Seager hit a two-run homer in the sixth and Brad Miller plated the tying run in the seventh with a groundout..
Royals starter Bruce Chen allowed two runs and six hits in six innings. Ramirez gave up three runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 frames.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Mariners 1B Justin Smoak went 2-for-4 after entering the contest in a 3-for-47 slump. … Royals 2B Chris Getz left after two innings due to an upset stomach and dizziness. … Seattle has lost three straight games and is 3-9 since manager Eric Wedge returned from a stroke.