Royals 1 - 2 Rays
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KC's Hochevar draws start against Rays

Aug 8, 2011 - 2:49 PM

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(Sports Network) - Luke Hochevar tries to win his fourth straight start and fifth consecutive decision this evening when the Kansas City Royals open a four-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.

Hochevar's most recent win came against Baltimore on Wednesday when he allowed two runs (one earned) and four hits, while striking out seven in 7 1/3 innings.

He is 3-0 in four starts since the All-Star break with a 2.70 ERA and the Royals have won the last seven times he has taken the hill.

"(The All-Star break) gave me time to sit down and look at the things I wanted to do," Hochevar said. "I just looked down the road, what I wanted things to look like in a month and the things I needed to do to get there. Just really keeping the game simple and let things come to me instead of just trying so hard, just play the game instead of working at it."

Hochevar beat the Rays back on July 22, but is just 1-2 in five starts against them with a 9.26 ERA.

Kansas City avoided a sweep at the hands of the Detroit Tigers on Sunday, as Johnny Giavotella hit his first major league homer and scored twice, helping the Royals rally for a 4-3 win.

Giavotella also doubled in his third game since being called up, while Mitch Maier added an RBI triple for the Royals, who have won six of their last 10.

Kansas City starter Bruce Chen (6-5) was pulled after a 46-minute rain delay in the sixth inning but earned his first win in five starts. He was charged with three runs on five hits in five-plus innings, striking out five and walking none.

Tampa, meanwhile, lost the final two tests of its three-game affair with the Oakland Athletics over the weekend, falling 5-4 in 10 innings in Sunday's finale.

Evan Longoria and Casey Kotchman both hit solo homers and Desmond Jennings had three hits and an RBI for the Rays, who had won three straight before losing the last two in this series.

Jake McGee (0-1) took the loss -- the first of his career -- after surrendering the deciding home run in the 10th. David Price started the game for Tampa Bay but lasted just 4 2/3 innings after giving up four runs on seven hits.

"You expect [Price] to carry it deeper," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "It wasn't awful, but you do expect him to get deeper than that."

Getting the call for the Rays tonight will be rookie right-hander Jeremy Hellickson, who is 10-7 with a 3.15 ERA. Hellickson won his third straight decision on July 31 in Seattle, as he held the Mariners to a run and five hits in seven innings in that one.

This will be his first-ever start against the Royals.

Kansas City took two of three from the Rays earlier in the year.






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