Royals Break Through In Eighth To Defeat Rays 6-2

by Pablo MenaMay 31, 2016, 6:53 pmNews, Opinion >

Late-inning rallies seem to be the distinguishing feature of the Kansas City Royals as of late.

Royals Break Through In Eighth To Defeat Rays 6-2

Eric Hosmer hit a three-run homer after Lorenzo Cain drove in the go-ahead run in a four-run eighth inning to lead the Royals to a 6-2 home victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night in their series opener.

The Royals have now won four consecutive games, matching their season-best streak, and have scored 19 runs after the sixth inning in those games. They have now increased their lead in the AL Central to 1 1/2 games over the second-place Cleveland Indians.

”Good teams at the end of the game find ways to do it,” Hosmer said. ”We’ve been really doing it a lot of different ways, finding a way each and every night.”

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Cain’s single scored Alcides Escobar with the first run of the inning before Hosmer took a pitch from Erasmo Ramirez (6-3) 414 feet deep to right-center for his 10th home run. Hosmer now has 10 RBIs in his last four games.

“I feel like I’m getting a lot of opportunities,” Hosmer added. “As a hitter, when you’re feeling good and you have guys on base, it’s just kind of a bonus.”

On his single, Escobar leaped to avoid a ball hit by Whit Merrifield bouncing his way near second base.

Royals right-hander Ian Kennedy struggled in six innings, during which he walked a season-high five, including the bases loaded in the fifth. He also limited the Rays to three singles and one unearned run.

“He made big pitches for us,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “It was big for him to get us through the sixth.” Kennedy also worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning, when he walked two.

Rays right-hander Matt Andriese allowed two runs and five hits over seven innings.

Outfielder Jarrod Dyson’s speed put Kansas City ahead in the fifth. With one out, Dyson dropped a single off Hank Conger into left field in front of center fielder Desmond Jennings, who didn’t field the ball cleanly.

“He had to turn around, pick it up and make a throw,” Dyson said. “When you have to turn around like that, nine times out of 10 the throw isn’t on line. But he had it on line. I just ended up getting in there.”

The Rays made it 2-2 in the eighth, scoring a run against Royals relief ace Kelvin Herrera.

The Royals lost a chance for a run in the seventh when a piece of base-running daring broke in favor of the Rays. Paulo Orlando singled and went to second on Andriese’s second balk of the game. Orlando extended his hitting streak to 13 games, and his second-inning scoring double on Cheslor Cuthbert’s groundout was pivotal in Kansas City’s first run.

Kendrys Morales walked with one out in the Royals’ second. In the fourth, Rays first baseman Logan Morrison hit a ball that reached the right-field wall so quickly he stopped at first. However, Morrison then stole second and took third when Royals catcher Drew Butera’s throw went into center field.

The Royals (28-22) will next host the Rays (22-27) again at Kauffman Park on Tuesday night.

PHOTO: KANSAS CITY, MO – MAY 30: Jarrod Dyson #1 of the Kansas City Royals slides into second as he stretches a single against Steve Pearce #28 of the Tampa Bay Rays in the fifth inning at Kauffman Stadium on May 30, 2016 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)