Kyle Isbel, Royals jolt Rockies in opener of doubleheader

Kyle Isbel had three RBIs and Salvador Perez drove in a pair of runs, lifting the host Kansas City Royals to a 7-4 victory over the Colorado Rockies in the first game of a doubleheader on Thursday afternoon.
Drew Waters had two hits and an RBI and Michael Massey also drove in a run for the Royals, who won their third straight game.
Kansas City starter Cole Ragans pitched just three innings, allowing four runs on three hits while striking out four and walking two. Relievers Angel Zerpa (1-0) and Steven Cruz each threw two scoreless innings and Carlos Estevez worked a perfect ninth to earn his sixth save.
German Marquez (0-4) surrendered six runs on eight hits over four innings, issuing three strikeouts and three walks.
Hunter Goodman had a homer and three RBIs for the Rockies, who lost for the 10th time in their last 11 games.
Jordan Beck also went deep among his two hits.
Colorado began the game’s scoring in the first inning, as Goodman’s RBI single scored Brenton Doyle – who led off with a walk.
Kansas City quickly answered in the home half of the first inning. Maikel Garcia doubled and Bobby Witt Jr. was hit by a slider before Perez drove in both runners with a one-out double.
Beck launched a 419-foot solo homer in the second inning to forge a 2-2 tie.
The Rockies regained the lead in the third inning, with Ryan McMahon’s two-out walk followed by Goodman’s two-run homer.
Perez laced a one-out double in the third and then came around to score on Massey’s single. After Hunter Renfroe’s single, Waters tied the game at four apiece on an RBI base hit to center.
Ragans was relieved after three innings for Zerpa, who threw two scoreless innings.
Marquez surrendered walks to Perez and Cavan Biggio to begin the fifth, ending his outing. Reliever Jake Bird entered and loaded the bases with two outs after hitting Waters. From there, Isbel singled on a ball deflected by first baseman Michael Toglia, scoring Perez and Biggio to give the Royals a 6-4 edge.
Kansas City tacked on in the seventh against Jimmy Herget, as Renfroe and Waters’ singles were followed by Isbel’s RBI bunt single, pushing the lead to 7-4.