Royals 3, Rays 2
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Kendrys Morales hit a two-run homer off a catwalk at the top of Tropicana Field in the third inning, leading the Kansas City Royals to a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night.
The teams continued in opposite directions -- the Royals (79-49) have won six of their last seven for the best record in the American League and the Rays (63-65) have dropped four of five.
Tampa Bay entered the game still just 2 1/2 games behind the Texas Rangers for the second AL wild card.
Royals starter Edinson Volquez (12-7) pitched into the seventh inning, holding the Rays to two runs (one earned) and six hits.
The Rays got help from the bullpen, especially former starter Matt Andriese, who threw three innings of scoreless relief after starter Erasmo Ramirez (10-5) lasted only 4 1/3 innings, suffering his first loss in his last six starts.
Royals closer Greg Holland, who came in with a 5.40 ERA against the Rays this season, worked a perfect ninth with just seven pitches for his 29th save of the season.
Umpires' calls played a big role early in the game, with reviews from both managers in the first inning, another on a home run off the catwalk in the top of the third, then a contentious call in the bottom of the third that resulted in the ejection of Rays manager Kevin Cash.
Kansas City led 1-0 in the second on an RBI single by left fielder Paulo Orlando taht scored catcher Salvador Perez, who had singled. The Rays tied the score in the bottom of the second when shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera singled and scored from first on a double to the right-field corner by first baseman James Loney.
The two-run homer by Morales -- his 15th of the season -- put the Royals up 3-1 in the third. The ball caromed off a catwalk at the top of Tropicana Field, landing in center field while the Rays' Kevin Kiermaier scaled the center-field wall trying to keep up with the ball's original trajectory.
With two on and two outs in the third, the Rays cut the lead to 3-2 when Orlando dropped a pop fly in left field for an error. The tying run would have scored on a ground ball to shortstop by Rays second baseman Logan Forsythe, but he was called out at first base to end the inning.
Replays showed he seemed to beat the throw to first, but the Rays had used their challenge and Cash was ejected after running onto the field to make his case to first base umpire Brian O'Nora. It was Cash's third ejection this season and first since May.
Rays starter Erasmo Ramirez lasted only 4 1/3 innings, his shortest outing in two months.
NOTES: Friday was a homecoming game for Royals 2B Ben Zobrist, who spent his first nine MLB seasons with the Rays before being traded to Oakland in January. The Royals acquired him last month, and the Rays paid tribute to him before the game, even having wife Juliana sing the national anthem. Zobrist came in hitting .330 in 26 games with Kansas City -- he was on the disabled list when Oakland came to play the Rays this spring. ... Friday and Saturday's Rays starting pitchers can be traced to a 2012 trade with the Royals, who acquired RHP James Shields. Odorizzi came directly in that trade, as did current Royals LHP Mike Montgomery, who the Rays sent to Kansas City at the end of spring training for Friday starter Erasmo Ramirez.