Michael Wacha allowed one run over seven strong innings, and Lane Thomas and Carter Jensen each had an RBI as the visiting Kansas City Royals won 2-1 over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night at St. Petersburg, Fla.
Wacha (5-5) recorded his 11th quality start of the season by yielding only a two-out RBI double to Yandy Diaz in the fifth inning, plus five other hits and one walk, while striking out five. Winners of four of their last five, the Royals had lost each of Wacha’s previous seven starts.
Meanwhile, Tampa Bay’s Drew Rasmussen (6-4) yielded two runs, two walks and all four Royals hits, while striking out five through six innings. Chandler Simpson had two hits, and Diaz extended his home on-base streak to 20 games for the Rays, who went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and lost for the seventh time in 10 contests.
Kansas City opened the scoring in the second inning when Michael Massey drew a leadoff walk. He then scored from first on a double from Thomas that rolled into the left-field bullpen.
Rasmussen responded by retiring 10 straight before Nick Loftin lined a one-out single to right in the fifth. Loftin then stole second and eventually scored on a single to center from Jensen, who extended his career-high hitting streak to 13 games.
Tampa Bay finally got on the board in the bottom of the fifth. No. 9 hitter Richie Palacios flared a two-out single to center, then scored on Diaz’s drive off the left-center-field wall.
Wacha remained solid into the seventh. Rays speedster Chandler Simpson opened that inning with a single to left field and reached second on Ben Williamson’s groundout. However, Wacha fanned Nick Fortes and got Palacios to pop out.
Kansas City’s John Schreiber struck out two in the eighth, and Jensen ended the inning when he threw out Victor Mesa Jr. trying to steal second. Alex Lange pitched a perfect ninth for his sixth save in as many chances.
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