KANSAS CITY -- Fans probably won't start calling Salvador Perez "Mr. Triples" any time soon, as they did with speedy Paulo Orlando last season.
But Perez didn't hesitate in the eighth inning when he saw his line drive to left-center field elude Twins outfielder Eddie Rosario and roll to the wall.
"I got to second base and I saw the ball was still rolling," Perez said, "so I decided to just keep going. I wasn't going to stop."
Perez lugged his way into third base with his eighth career triple, and this one scored Alex Gordon and tied the score 3-3. Moments later, Omar Infante drove in Perez with a sacrifice fly, and the Royals went on to win 4-3.
The Royals have become a team in the last two seasons that simply doesn't quit.
"We play to the last out," Perez said. "We finish hard."
Perez's triple was his first since Sept. 25, 2014, against the White Sox.
"Sal always says in batting practice when he hits one in the gap, 'There's a triple!' '' Royals manager Ned Yost said. "I always laugh. But I guess I can't anymore."
Perez showed his toughness, too. He took a pitch from closer Wade Davis off his left wrist when it appeared that Davis may have crossed him up.
Perez hobbled over in pain for several moments but stayed in the game as Davis closed out the win.
"I don't know who the culprit was," Yost said, jokingly. "I didn't have a chance to interrogate them yet."
But Perez said it was his fault.
"He threw the pitch I called," Perez said. "It was on me. It hurts, but I'll be fine."