Royals' Perez exits after collision at plate with Mets' Marte

NEW YORK (AP) — Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez left Sunday’s game against the New York Mets with injuries to his left groin and hip following a fourth-inning collision at home plate with Starling Marte.

Marte attempted to tag up and score on Tyrone Taylor’s lineout to left. MJ Melendez’s throw beat Marte, who slid and appeared to hit Perez in his midsection. Perez held on to the ball for the final out but was slow to get up as Marte and Royals pitcher Cole Ragans bent over him before a Kansas City athletic trainer arrived.

Perez walked off the field slowly and was replaced by Freddy Fermin in the bottom of the fifth.

Perez was 3 for 9 in the weekend series, hitting his 250th homer in Saturday’s 11-7 win.