Salvador Perez’s two-run home run was what won the game for the Kansas City Royals, but fully appreciated in Tuesday’s 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field was a dominating night for the bullpen.
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Perez’s 16th homer came off Xavier Cedeno (3-3) after a single by Eric Hosmer.
Moss and Jhonny Peralta returned from the disabled list at the start of the series and have contributed as the teams split the first two games.
Chris Young (3-8) got the win in relief, and Kelvin Herrera pitched the ninth for his third save.
That will look to change tonight when Yordano Ventura gets the ball for the Royals.
Duffy lost his bid for a flawless game when he walked Logan Forsythe to start the fourth.
Brad Miller called it a punch to the gut that newly acquired Matt Duffy has been anointed to replace him as the Tampa Bay Rays starting shortstop.
Desmond Jennings, who returned from the disabled list after missing 25 games with a hamstring injury, doubled to leftfield to start the eighth inning and save the Rays from being no-hit for the sixth time in franchise history, a number that includes three flawless games.
Kiermaier answered the challenge Tuesday in the fifth inning against the Royals when he bunted for a hit that led to a pair of runs. He hadn’t thrown more than 48 pitches in any recent appearances but was able to last four innings and 57 pitches, leaving with the Rays down 1-0.
Tampa Bay went only one for 14 with runners on base, an old habit.
Kanas City dropped to 40-2 when ahead after seven innings.
ASTROS 2, BLUE JAYS 1, 14 INNINGS Carlos Correa hit an RBI double in the 14th inning off Scott Feldman hours after Feldman was traded from Houston to Toronto. Alex Gordon hit his eighth home.
Brad Boxberger (1-0) worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the eighth before Alex Colome got his 26th save despite giving up two hits during the ninth.
Ramirez pitched two ideal innings with three strikeouts. Kansas City is also 0-5 in Kennedy’s last five starts with four days’ rest, and 0-6 in Kennedy’s last six starts.
It was the first loss in five games for the Rays (42-62). Hammel (11-5) extended Chicago’s scoreless streak to 24 innings before the bullpen overcame Pedro Strop’s shaky seventh. I take a lot of pride in how I handle myself.
Tampa Bay was quieted Ventura for four innings, stranding six runners with opportunity after opportunity snuffed out.
PADRES 7, BREWERS 3 Yangervis Solarte drove in two runs, Travis Jankowski had three hits and two walks and San Diego beat Milwaukee.
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Andriese pitched 4 2/3 innings on June 25 in a spot start at Baltimore in the first game of a doubleheader.
