Salvador Perez’s sacrifice fly in the ninth gave the Kansas City Royals a 2-1 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday night, avoiding a three-game sweep.

The Royals entered the ninth trailing 1-0, but Emmanuel Clase walked the first two batters he faced. MJ Melendez drove home Kyle Isbel with the tying run and Perez drove in Nicky Lopez with the game-winner.

The Guardians still lead the AL Central by two games over the Twins and White Sox.

Scott Barlow (6-4) earned the win. Clase (2-4) took the loss. He blew his first save since May 9 and had converted 25 straight.

Zack Greinke allowed one run on six hits in six innings. He walked one and struck out two. He returned to the rotation after being on the Injured List since Aug. 24 with right forearm tightness.

Cleveland starter Cody Morris, making his second major league start, allowed two hits in the first and then retired nine straight batters on his way to four scoreless innings.

The Guardians scored first on an RBI single by Owen Miller. Oscar Gonzalez led off the fourth with a double to the wall in right center. He went to third on a ground-out to first and scored when Miller blooped one to short center.

Gonzalez also doubled in the eighth, but was stranded at third. He had a game-winning double in the 10th inning of Monday’s Cleveland victory.

UP NEXT

The Royals will host the Detroit Tigers for the first of three tomorrow. The Tigers will start LHP Joey Wentz (0-1, 8.10 ERA). The Royals have not yet announced a starter.