The Pittsburgh Pirates will try to break their seven-game road slide in a matchup against the Kansas City Royals

The Royals picked up a much-needed 9-3 win in their series opener against the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates. Star sluggers Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino, and Salvador Perez all homered, which also snapped a ludicrous streak the Royals had allowed to fester.

In their first game in Kauffman Stadium this month, the Kansas City Royals matched their home win total from all of last month. Hopefully, it will be a sign of good things to come, as the Royals’ 9-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates was the sort of top-to-bottom victory that makes for a very enjoyable viewing experience.

The Pirates continue their losing streak to five games, as they suffered a shutout, series sweep to the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park, July 4-6, and allowed four home runs in a 9-3 defeat to the Royals in the series opener on July 7.

Pittsburgh is 0-5 on its current road trip after going 6-0 on their last homestand prior to the All-Star break.

Witt went 2 for 3 and scored twice to extend his hitting streak to 11 games. Witt hit his 13th homer, a two-run shot the opposite way to right-center field off reliever Chase Shugart to give the Royals a 6-2 lead in the fourth. He added a sacrifice fly in the sixth.