Field Level Media
Apr 22, 2019
The Tampa Bay Rays hit for the cycle in the bottom of the seventh on Monday, scoring three runs in the frame en route to a 6-3 victory over the visiting Kansas City Royals.
Mike Zunino hit a 425-foot, two-run home run to dead center for the key hit in the inning.
Wilmer Font (1-0) recorded the final out of the seventh and picked up the victory for the Rays, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Emilio Pagan pitched the ninth to pick up his first major league save.
Brad Keller (2-2) took the loss for the Royals, who lost their fourth in a row. He had not allowed more than three earned runs in any of his first five starts, but he gave up five earned runs on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.
The Royals got on the board in the first on Alex Gordon's fifth home run. Gordon launched a 3-2 sinker 416 feet into the stands in right field. He leads the Royals with 21 RBIs.
The Rays came right back with a run in the bottom half of the first. Tommy Pham tripled off the fence in right field and scored on Yandy Diaz's sacrifice fly.
Jorge Soler, who was dropped to the seventh spot in the order for the first time this season, put the Royals back on top in the fifth with a solo homer. An inning later, Hunter Dozier extended the lead with a line drive into the seats in left, his club-leading seventh home run.
The Rays drew within one in the bottom of the sixth when Brandon Lowe ripped a double off the wall in right center, scoring Willy Adames.
The Rays then chased Keller in the seventh. Avisail Garcia led off with a double and advanced to third on an infield single against the shift by Kevin Kiermaier. An RBI fielder's choice by Daniel Robertson tied the game and preceded Zunino's home run, which gave the Rays a 5-3 lead.
Diaz led off the eighth with a home run for Tampa's final run.
Dozier was removed for a pinch hitter in the eighth with lower back spasms and soreness. He was limited to designated hitter duty because of stiffness in his back.
--Field Level Media