PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Salvador Perez hit a three-run homer and drove in five runs, helping the Kansas City Royals overcome Kyle Schwarber’s NL-high 52nd homer and delay the Phillies from clinching the NL East with a 10-3 win Sunday.
Philadelphia, which entered with a six-game winning steak, leads the NL East by 12 games over the second-place New York Mets, who beat the Rangers 4-2 in 10 innings on Sunday on Pete Alonso’s three-run home run. The Phillies’ magic number remains at one.
The Phillies clinched a playoff spot later in the day with San Francisco’s loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Perez hit his third homer in two games, a three-run drive off Aaron Nola (4-9) in a four-run sixth that built a 6-2 lead. He added a two-run single in the seventh as the Royals ended a six-game losing streak.
Royals pitcher Noah Cameron throws during the seventh inning against the Phillies, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Philadelphia. Cameron shut down the Phillies on Sunday, going seven innings and allowing just two runs on four hits. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto homered in the first off Noah Cameron (8-7), who allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings.
Jac Caglianone tied the score with a two-run homer in the fifth and Bobby Witt Jr. homered in the ninth against Max Lazar.
Royals closer Carlos Estévez got two outs in the ninth before leaving with back tightness.
Bryson Stott also homered for the Phillies.
Nola allowed six runs and six hits in six innings.
Key moment
Witt led off the sixth with a triple off the high wall in right and scored on a double by Vinnie Pasquantino, who had three hits.
Key stats
Kansas City has been swept in series just four times this season, second-fewest in the AL.
Up next
Royals: Host Seattle and RHP Logan Gilbert (4-6, 3.54) in a series starting Tuesday.
Phillies: LHP Rangers Suárez (12-6, 2.77) starts Monday night’s series opener at the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Mets 5, Rangers 2
NEW YORK (AP) — Pete Alonso hit a three-run homer off Luis Curvelo, and the New York Mets stopped an eight-game losing streak with a 5-2 win over the Texas Rangers on Sunday.
Their lead for the last NL wild card berth down to a half-game, the Mets backed rookie rookie Nolan McLean with a 2-0 lead only for Joc Pederson to tie the score with a two-run single in the seventh off Reed Garrett.
Alonso hit an opposite-field homer to right off Curvelo (1-1), then saluted the Mets’ dugout and tossed his helmet before reaching first base. As he rounded third, Alonso began untucking his shirt before he sprinted across the plate and was doused with popcorn by jubilant teammates. He ended the Mets’ longest losing streak since 2018, raising his season totals to 34 homers and 117 RBIs.
Texas had won six straight games and began the day two games back in both the AL West and for the final AL wild card.
Making his sixth big league start, McLean gave up five hits, struck out seven and walked two, lowering his ERA to 1.19.
Francisco Alvarez raced home from third on Juan Soto’s fifth-inning groundout off starter Jacob Latz and Brandon Nimmo homered leading off the sixth for the Mets.
Key moment
Alonso has five career walk-off- homers.
Key stat
McLean’s ERA is the lowest by a Mets pitcher through his first six startsy.
Up next
Rangers: RHP Jack Leiter (9-8, 3.81 ERA) starts Monday’s series opener against division rival Houston, which starts RHP Jason Alexander (4-1, 4.19)
Mets: RHP Clay Holmes (11-8, 3.75 ERA) will be opn the mound for Tuesday’s series opener against San Diego and RHP Michael King (4-2, 2.87 ERA). Holmes, who has thrown a career-high 151 innings, will likely be piggybacked by LHP Sean Manaea.
Originally Published: September 14, 2025 at 5:16 PM EDT