The results means a four game split between the Rays and Royals and a 2-6 road trip for Kansas City. Drew Smyly allowed two runs, five hits, one walk and struck out 10 in seven innings.
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The Rays got a leadoff double in the eighth from Corey Dickerson, putting the tying run in scoring position with no outs.
Salvador Perez got the pitcher and the pitch he wanted in the seventh inning Tuesday night, and he hit a two-run home run that carried the Kansas City Royals to a 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Brad Miller, who had grounded out sharply to Royals second baseman Raul Mondesi in the first and third to strand a combined four runners, hit a ground ball to Mondesi’s left for a single.
PHILLIES 13, GIANTS 8 Aaron Altherr had a homer and five RBIs, Maikel Franco homered and went 4 for 4 and the Philadelphia Phillies used a five-run eighth inning to beat the San Francisco Giants in a wild game.
Tampa Bay has been shut out in 19 of its last 20 at bats.
“I just go out there and play”, Miller said. The Rays are 8-25 against Kansas City since the start of the 2012 season. Knowing that Wednesday starter Edinson Volquez had struggled in the first inning, Yost had pitching coach Dave Eiland warm Volquez up before the game, but stop early, sitting him down for a moment.
Manager Kevin Cash said the Rays don’t expect Duffy to have any issues adjusting “whatsoever” back to short, and they are thrilled with the well-rounded work he does at the plate, showing off his flat, line drive-producing swing during a Wednesday batting practice session.
G, Fla. – The World Series champion Kansas City Royals had another tough loss in what is shaping up as a disappointing season.
Smyly has given up 23 homers, including six to left-handed hitters. He takes a lot of pride, a lot of passion in being a major league shortstop. Schebler connected for his second homer of the season and first game-ending shot.
Duffy will begin that transition with the Rays’ Class A affiliate in Port Charlotte, Florida, where he was expected to play about three innings on Thursday night.
GAME NOTES: Royals DH Kendrys Morales is appealing his one-game suspension and batted in the fourth spot Thursday.
Major League Baseball will hold a one-day free umpiring clinic for all ages at Tropicana Field on August 20.
The resurgence of Rays starter Jake Odorizzi, now with three straight scoreless starts, is a reminder of the strong starting pitching Tampa Bay was supposed to have this season, though it’s frustrating those starts were seldom found in the previous two months.
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Royals: RHP Dillon Gee (3-5) will face recently acquired Toronto LHP Francisco Liriano, who went 6-11 with Pittsburgh. “But I know our guys are too good to be splitting the series after we are ahead and getting swept in four games in Texas”.
