The Royals got just seven hits, but two were homers from Salvador Perez and Maikel Garcia as Kansas City beat the host Cleveland Guardians 5-3 on Monday in the opener of a three-game series.

Royals left-hander Ryan Yarbrough (3-5) scattered six hits over six innings, allowing just one run and no walks while striking out one. Scott Barlow allowed two runners in the ninth but escaped to post his 12th save.

Guardians rookie left-hander Logan Allen (4-3) gave up seven hits in his seven innings without a walk and struck out five, but he was charged with five runs (four earned).

Bobby Witt Jr. and Kyle Isbel each had two hits for the Royals. Amed Rosario had three of Cleveland's 10 hits, while Will Brennan and Myles Straw had two hits apiece.

Kansas City took a 2-0 lead against Allen in the top of the second inning.

Cleveland third baseman Jose Ramirez booted Matt Duffy's grounder, and Duffy advanced to third on Isbel's single to right. Edward Olivares followed with a double to the gap in left-center, driving in both runners.

Allen recovered to retire the next 12 Guardians in order until Witt singled to open the sixth inning. Perez followed that up an out later by turning on an 87 mph cutter and smashing his 17th homer of the season, a 420-blast over fence in the left-center, for a 4-0 lead.

Meanwhile, the Cleveland offense scuffled against Yarbrough.

In the bottom of the sixth the Guardians finally broke through as Rosario hit a leadoff double and scored on Josh Bell's two-out single, cutting the gap to 4-1.

Garcia restored the Royals' four-run cushion in the top of the seventh by drilling a line-drive, opposite-field homer, his fourth long ball of the season, over the short porch in right.

The Guardians struck back in the bottom of the inning against reliever Jose Cuas, who hadn't given up a run in his previous eight outings. David Fry walked, Brennan doubled, and Straw singled to center to score both runners, pulling Cleveland within 5-3.

Carlos Hernandez pitched a scoreless eighth for the Royals, but the Guardians brought the would-be winning run to the plate with one out against Barlow in the ninth. But Barlow got Straw to line out to center and Steven Kwan to ground out to first to end the game.

--Field Level Media