KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Salvador Perez tied Johnny Bench's record for home runs in a season by a catcher with his 45th, but Chad Pinder's two-run single spurred a third-inning rally and the Oakland Athletics held off the Kansas City Royals 7-2 Thursday.
Perez hit a two-run home run in the first inning, matching Bench's total from 1970 for the most by a player who played at least 75% of his team's games at catcher. Perez is tied with Toronto's Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for the major league lead in home runs and also leads the bigs with 112 RBI.
"We're witnessing a special season," Manager Mike Matheny said. "We're witnessing a special player. To be able to be put in the conversation with one most would say is the best ever is pretty rare."
His talent is not lost on the opposition.
"Salvador, it seems like he's hitting a home run a day against everybody," Oakland Manager Bob Melvin said. "You can't miss against him right now."
Pinder delivered a two-out hit during a four-run third inning in which Oakland had seven runners reach base -- with just two hits. The A's also scored three runs in the ninth on just one hit.
"We'll draw some walks," Melvin said. "Obviously there were some wild pitches that moved some runners up. We got big hits when we needed to. When you put a crooked number up, it has an emotional effect on the other side."
The Royals had the tying runs on base with less than two outs in the sixth and eighth innings but couldn't score.
Paul Blackburn (1-2) battled through five-plus innings for Oakland, yielding two runs on six hits.
Daniel Lynch (4-5) took the loss. He left the game in the third inning with left calf tightness with the bases loaded and a full count on Matt Olson. He gave up three runs (one earned) on two hits in two-plus innings. He also walked one and hit two batters.
RAYS 5, TIGERS 2 Yandy Diaz hit a leadoff home run and Mike Zunino later connected, reliever Dietrich Enns pitched four solid innings and AL East-leading Tampa Bay beat Detroit.
ORIOLES 3, YANKEES 2 Yankees reliever Clay Holmes threw a wild pitch with two outs in the ninth inning that let the tying run score, then Austin Hays chopped an RBI single in the 10th that lifted Baltimore to a victory over New York.
ANGELS 9, WHITE SOX 3 Alex Cobb pitched five scoreless innings, Luis Rengifo and Jose Rojas hit home runs, and Los Angeles coasted over Chicago. Cobb was activated from the 10-day injured list after suffering right wrist inflammation and allowed two hits in his first start since July 23. Cobb allowed only two baserunners to advance as far as second base, and he induced inning-ending double plays in the second and fourth innings.
ASTROS 12, RANGERS 1 Alex Bregman drove in four runs, Chas McCormick and Carlos Correa homered as Houston defeated Texas.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
PADRES 7, GIANTS 4 Fernando Tatis Jr. hit his NL-leading 39th home run and San Diego beat San Francisco to earn a series split. The Padres moved within half a game of the idle Cardinals for the second NL wild card at 76-70. San Diego starts a three-game series in St. Louis today.
REDS 1, PIRATES 0 Tyler Mahle cruised through six innings, Asdrubal Cabrera hit a go-ahead, pinch-hit sacrifice fly in the seventh, and Cincinnati avoided a three-game sweep against Pittsburgh.
PHILLIES 17, CUBS 8 Bryce Harper doubled to start a seven-run, game-tying rally in the fourth inning, drove in the go-ahead run in the sixth and sealed Philadelphia's victory over Chicago with a three-run home run in the seventh.
