Rays 8, Royals 7
Sam Fuld tripled in the tying run and continued home on a throwing error as the Tampa Bay Rays scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat the Kansas City Royals 8-7 on Wednesday.
Evan Longoria, Ben Zobrist and Casey Kotchman each knocked in a run before Fuld drilled a Joakim Soria (5-5) pitch into the right-center field gap. Second baseman Johnny Giavotella’s throwing error allowed Fuld to score.
Melky Cabrera drove in five runs, including a three-run homer in the ninth that gave the Royals a 7-3 lead.
Matt Joyce, who homered in the fifth, had three hits and Kotchman added two hits and two RBIs for Tampa Bay.
Jake McGee (1-1) gained his first career win for the Rays.
Royals catcher Salvador Perez had a single, an RBI, scored a run and picked off two runners in his major league debut. He nailed Fuld at third base with two on and one out in the eighth right after Desmond Jennings’ pinch-hit RBI single had brought Tampa Bay to within 4-3.
Cabrera (two sacrifice flies), Giavotella (RBI) and Alcides Escobar had two hits apiece for the Royals.