Brad Keller pitched his first career shutout as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-0 Sunday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium. Keller allowed just five hits and one walk as the Royals won their sixth straight.

Salvador Perez and Hunter Dozier each had three hits, with a home run, for Kansas City. Dozier scored three times and Perez scored twice. Maikel Franco added three hits.

Keller (4-2) is 3-0 with a 0.33 ERA (one earned run in 27 innings) at home this season. A one-out double in the sixth ended a stretch of one extra-base hit allowed in the last 157 opponents' plate appearances.

Chad Kuhl (1-2) had a rough outing for the Pirates (14-30). He allowed nine runs on four hits -- with six walks -- in 2 1/3 innings.

The six-game winning streak is the longest for the Royals (20-28) since winning six straight Aug. 28-Sept. 3, 2018. Sunday was the last day of a 17-day stretch in which the Royals played every day. Kansas City went 8-9, including a seven-game losing streak that preceded the six-game winning streak.

The Royals scored four runs in the first on only two hits. The Pirates' defense helped, although no errors were charged. Whit Merrifield walked and Perez singled him to second. Franco hit a line drive to third that rolled away from JT Riddle. Instead of an inning-ending double play, Franco had an RBI single. Dozier then walked, loading the bases.

Alex Gordon grounded out to first, driving in Perez, but Josh Bell had a play at the plate had he fielded it cleanly. Kelvin Gutierrez walked, and then Franco and Dozier both scored on a wild pitch that caromed off home plate umpire Jeremie Rehak's helmet.

The Royals got six runs in the third. Perez led off with a home run. Perez was 7-for-14 in the series. He returned from the IL Friday after missing 20 games with fluid on his left eye.

Two runs scored on bases-loaded walks before Merrifield drove in two with a single. Perez's second hit of the inning drove in the 10th run.

Dozier homered in the sixth.

--Field Level Media