Tampa Bay Rays vs Kansas City Royals Match Player Stats On Aug 29, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Aug 29, 2017

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Eric Hosmer hit a three-run shot, and Whit Merrifield and Jorge Bonifacio contributed solo home runs as the Kansas City Royals topped the Tampa Bay Rays 6-2 on Tuesday night.

The Royals snapped a five-game losing streak and a 45-inning scoreless drought.

Hosmer's 22nd home run with Lorenzo Cain and Alcides Escobar aboard in the seventh inning pushed the Royals' lead to four runs. After Brian Boxberger gave up a single and a walk, Dan Jennings replaced him. Hosmer drove a 2-1 pitch out the opposite way against the left-hander.

Bonifacio hit his 16th homer of the season in the sixth.

Jake Junis (6-2) picked up the victory, allowing one run and three hits in 5 2/3 innings while striking out a career-best eight with no walks.

Alex Cobb (9-9) took the loss, allowing three runs and seven hits, including two home runs, and throwing three wild pitches.

The Royals (65-66) snapped their scoreless-innings streak at 45, three shy of the major league record.

Merrifield ended the streak with a home run with two outs in the third inning. Merrfield parked an Cobb pitch an estimated 372 feet to left. It was Merrifield's 16th home run of the season.

The Royals added a run in the fourth. Hosmer led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a Cobb wild pitch. Mike Moustakas' single to left scored Hosmer.

The Royals could have scored more that inning. Cobb uncorked another wild pitch, allowing Moustakas to move to second. Moustakas stopped at third on Bonifacio's one-out single to center. Then Cobb threw his third wild pitch of the inning, moving Bonifacio to third.

But Cobb struck out Brandon Moss for the second time and retired Escobar on a grounder to third baseman Evan Longoria to end the inning.

Cain had an infield single in the fifth and made it to third base, but the Royals failed to get him home.

Junis held the Rays (66-68) hitless until Corey Dickerson singled with two outs in the fifth.

NOTES: Royals LHP Danny Duffy was charged with a DUI ON Sunday night in a Kansas City suburb. "We are obviously disappointed in the news," Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. ... RHP Matt Andriese will be going back into the Rays' rotation with a Sunday start in Chicago. ... Royals LHP Brian Flynn was placed on the disabled list with a groin strain, which he hurt in his first big league outing of the year ON Monday. LHP Eric Skoglund was recalled from Triple-A Omaha. ... Rusty Kuntz will not be coaching first base for the Royals the remainder of the year because of vision trouble. He will continue to assist but from the dugout. Catching coach Pedro Grifol replaced him in the first base box. ... The Rays' Double-A Montgomery farm club clinched its third straight trip to the Southern League playoffs. ... Rays RHP Jake Odorizzi and Royals LHP Jason Vargas are the Wednesday probables.