Final
Surging Royals down Rays
Jun 17, 2013 - 12:58 AM St. Petersburg, FL (Sports Network) - Jeff Francoeur hit a solo home run and Alex Gordon had a pair of RBI as the Kansas City Royals downed the Tampa Bay Rays, 5-3, in the finale of a four-game set at Tropicana Field.Alcides Escobar had three hits, an RBI and a run scored and Billy Butler added two hits and an RBI for the Royals, winners in 10 of their last 12 games.
"We're playing real good baseball," Butler said. "June has been good to us."
Wade Davis (4-5) gave up two runs on five hits over six frames to earn the win.
Greg Holland picked up his 14th save of the season despite giving up a homer in the ninth inning.
Jose Lobaton cracked a solo homer while Luke Scott and Desmond Jennings drove in one run apiece for the Rays, losers in four of their last five games.
Roberto Hernandez (4-7) gave up four runs on nine hits over 5 2/3 innings to absorb the loss.
"Not as sharp as he had been, but I thought he was good enough to win," Rays manager Joe Maddon said of his starter.
In the fifth, Francoeur smashed a 3-2 slider over the wall in left field to tie the game at 2-2, and the Royals added two more in the sixth to take the lead for good.
With two outs, Elliot Johnson doubled to right field. After Hernandez intentionally walked Francoeur, Escobar smacked a single to left to bring Johnson around, spelling the end of Hernandez's day. Jake McGee came on to replace Hernandez and immediately gave up an RBI single to Gordon.
Gordon added a sacrifice fly in the eighth to make it 5-2, scoring Escobar who had doubled to start the frame.
After Holland struck out Kelly Johnson to open the ninth, Lobaton belted his fourth homer of the season. Holland struck out Yunel Escobar, but walked Matt Joyce to bring the tying run to the plate before fanning Ben Zobrist to nail down the win.
Butler's RBI single in the first scored Eric Hosmer to give Kansas City an early 1-0 lead, but Tampa Bay countered with a pair of runs in the home half to take a 2-1 edge.
Joyce singled, moved to second on a Zobrist groundout then scored when Luke Scott doubled to left field. Scott later came around on Jennings base hit to right.
Game Notes
Royals catcher Salvador Perez had his 11-game hitting streak snapped ... Kansas City has held its opponents to three runs or less in 14 of its last 15 games ... Davis picked up his first win since May 15 ... Rays third baseman Evan Longoria had his eight-game hitting streak snapped.
- KANSAS CITY: 5
TAMPA BAY: 3
Final
Jun 16 4:51 PM - Jose Lobaton one-out, solo Home Run (4) to right. Yunel Escobar due up.
Royals 5, Rays 3 Bot 9, 1 OutJun 16 4:44 PM - Alex Gordon sacrifice fly out to left scored Alcides Escobar. None on with one out and Eric Hosmer due up.
Royals 5, Rays 2 Top 8, 1 OutJun 16 4:16 PM - Alex Gordon singled to right scored Jeff Francoeur. On the play, Alcides Escobar advances to second. Runners on first and second with two outs and Eric Hosmer due up.
Royals 4, Rays 2 Top 6, 2 OutsJun 16 3:34 PM - Alcides Escobar singled to left scored Elliot Johnson. On the play, Jeff Francoeur advances to second. Runners on first and second with two outs and Alex Gordon due up.
Royals 3, Rays 2 Top 6, 2 OutsJun 16 3:29 PM - Jeff Francoeur lead-off Home Run (3) to left. Alcides Escobar due up.
Royals 2, Rays 2 Top 5, 0 OutsJun 16 3:01 PM - Desmond Jennings singled to left scored Luke Scott. On the play, Evan Longoria advances to second. Runners on first and second with two outs and Kelly Johnson due up.
Royals 1, Rays 2 Bot 1, 2 OutsJun 16 2:06 PM - Luke Scott doubled to left scored Matt Joyce. Runner on second with one out and Evan Longoria due up.
Royals 1, Rays 1 Bot 1, 1 OutJun 16 1:57 PM - Billy Butler singled to right scored Eric Hosmer. Runner on first with two outs and David Lough due up.
Royals 1, Rays 0 Top 1, 2 OutsJun 16 1:49 PM - KANSAS CITY: 0
TAMPA BAY: 0
Top 1, 0 Outs
Jun 16 1:42 PM
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