PITTSBURGH — Salvador Perez and Kyle Isbel hit home runs and scored two runs each, Alec Marsh struck out 11 times in 5 1/3 innings and the Kansas City Royals ended Pittsburgh’s four-game winning streak with an 8-3 victory over the Pirates on Friday night.

Perez’s two-run hit into the left-center field bullpen capped a six-run second inning in which the Royals broke a scoreless tie. Isbel’s solo home run in the fourth inning increased the lead to 7-0. Adam Frazier added a solo home run in the eighth inning.

“We just got the momentum rolling early and it was fun to watch,” Isbel said.

The 34-year-old Perez, a nine-time All-Star catcher, has 27 home runs and 103 RBI this season.

“He’s incredible,” said Royals manager Matt Quatraro. “That’s why he’s being considered a Hall of Famer. There aren’t many players who do as much as he does year after year at that position. He’s clearly a leader in the community and on this team with the way he goes about his job.”

Marsh (8-8) allowed just one run and had a career-high 11 strikeouts. It was the sophomore right-hander’s first win since July 10.

With Minnesota’s loss on Friday, the Royals are now 2 1/2 games ahead of the Twins and the American League’s second wild card. With Cleveland’s loss, the second-place Royals have moved to within three games of the Guardians in the AL Central.

The Royals are still in the race a year after their 56-106 record.

“It’s unbelievable,” Marsh said of pitching in a championship race. “There’s no other team I’d rather do it with. This team is unbelievable. Everyone comes here and treats it like another game. Nobody puts pressure on anyone. We know it’s September and these games mean a little more than they did earlier in the season, but we’re just having fun.”

The Pirates fell to 14-23 since Aug. 4, when their record was 56-54 and they were 2 1/2 games out of the National League’s third wild card.

“Good breaking ball,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said of Marsh. “Did a really good job with it, keeping us off balance, being able to use it in the zone and then use it as a chase.”

Luis Ortiz (6-6) gave up seven runs — four earned — on five hits in four innings. His throwing error on Frazier’s chopper contributed to the Royals’ big second inning.

Yuli Gurriel hit an RBI single and Isbel scored a run with a double before Tommy Pham’s two-run single made it 4-0. After Bobby Witt Jr. struck out, Perez hit a home run.

Witt went 1 for 5, dropping his major league-leading batting average to .332.

The Pirates scored in the sixth inning when Oneil Cruz hit a double and scored on Joey Bart’s single. Bryan Reynolds hit a sacrifice fly and Cruz added an RBI single in the ninth inning.

TRAINING ROOM

Royals: RHP Michael Lorenzen (left hamstring strain) allowed one run in 3 1/3 innings for Triple-A Omaha on Friday, in his second minor league appearance since going on the injured list on Aug. 28. Lorenzen will likely be activated next week. … RHP Hunter Harvey (middle back tightness) has started throwing again, but there is no timetable for his return.

Pirates: LHP Marco Gonzales (left forearm strain) underwent surgery on his left flexor tendon and an internal splint in his left ulnar collateral ligament. Gonzales is eligible for free agency after the World Series and is expected to miss most of next season. … 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes (lower back inflammation) could start catching next week, but the Pirates are unsure if he will return this season.

Next

Royals RHP Michael Wacha (12-7, 3.34 ERA) faces RHP Mitch Keller (11-9, 3.85) on Saturday. Wacha is 11-3 with a 2.62 ERA in his last 19 starts since May 9. Keller has lost four of his last five games.

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