KANSAS CITY -- What’s the easiest way to inject some energy into a ballpark that needed it and get a long homestand off on the right track?

How about a pair of game-flipping home runs?

Salvador Perez 's two-run blast tied Monday night’s game in the sixth inning, and Kyle Isbel followed just four batters later with the go-ahead two-run homer that sent the Royals to a 7-4 win over the Nationals at Kauffman Stadium.

Monday’s series opener kicked off a 10-game homestand over the next 11 days and an excellent opportunity for the Royals (59-60) to get on a roll with six games against the Nationals (47-71) and White Sox (43-75) this week and a four-game set next week with the Rangers -- the team Kansas City is right behind in the American League Wild Card standings .

As anyone with the

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