Royals 8, Rays 3
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Center fielder Lorenzo Cain and catcher Salvador Perez each hit two-run homers as the Kansas City Royals subdued the Tampa Bay Rays 8-3 on Thursday.
The Royals swept the four-game series. The Rays lost for the 11th time in 12 games and are 3-15 since June 21, when they were a season-high 10 games above .500.
Cain's eighth home run of the season cleared the left-field fence with first baseman Eric Hosmer aboard in a three-run first inning.
The Royals scored three runs on rookie right-hander Nathan Karns' first five pitches. Shortstop Alcides Escobar singled on Karns' first pitch and scored when Hosmer doubled on a 2-0 offering. Cain also parked Karns' first pitch.
Karns has allowed 16 runs in the first inning in his 18 starts.
The Royals made it 4-0 in the third when right fielder Alex Rios singled and rookie third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert tripled to right past a diving Grady Sizemore. Cuthbert added an RBI single in the eighth for the final Royals run.
After the Rays trimmed the Royals' lead to 4-3 in the fifth, Kansas City responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Perez homered with Cain, who was hit by a Karns pitch, aboard. Designated hitter Kendrys Morales upped his team-leading RBI total to 57 with a sacrifice fly that scored Hosmer.
Right-hander Yordano Ventura, who was making his first start since June 12 after a stint on the disabled list with an ulnar nerve inflammation, held the Rays scoreless with two singles in the first four innings.
But in the Rays' three-run fifth, Ventura yielded two hits, two walks and two sacrifice flies. He walked catcher Rene Rivera with the bases loaded, scoring left fielder David DeJesus, who began the inning with a single. Left fielder John Jaso and Sizemore contributed sacrifice flies.
Ventura (4-6) was removed after five innings, allowing three runs, four hits, three walks and two sacrifice flies. He picked up his first victory since May 19.
A Jarrod Dyson defensive gem rescued Ventura in the first inning. Jaso led off the game with a single, his seventh hit in his first nine at-bats since coming off the disabled list Tuesday. Sizemore, the next batter, ripped a pitch to deep left, but Dyson ran it down with an over-the-shoulder grab before face-planting into the wall. Jaso was off with the pitch and became a double play victim -- Dyson's second outfield assist in two games.
NOTES: Royals All-Star and Gold Glove LF Alex Gordon was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a Grade 2-Plus strained left groin. He is expected to be out for six weeks. The Royals optioned RHP Aaron Brooks to Triple-A Omaha and recalled LHP Brandon Finnegan. ... Royals LF John Jaso made his first Rays appearance in the outfield after being used as a DH and pinch hitter in his other four games. ... CF Lorenzo Cain was ejected after seven innings by plate umpire Chris Segal for arguing balls and strikes from the dugout. ... After a 1-6 trip, the Rays return home Friday with RHP Erasmo Ramirez starting against Astros RHP Collin McHugh. ... The Royals continue their 11-game homestand with a weekend series against the Toronto Blue Jays, who will start RHP Marco Estrada on Friday. The Royals will counter with LHP Danny Duffy.