ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Tampa native Jac Caglianone hit a solo homer and two-run shot Tuesday as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 12-5.
Caglianone, who starred at nearby Plant High School and the University of Florida, also singled in front of several family members and friends while leading the Royals to a second straight victory to open a four-game set.
Nick Loftin went deep for one of his four hits and scored four times for Kansas City, which has won five of its last six games. Salvador Perez’s two-RBI double highlighted a five-run eighth inning as the Royals made it five straight wins in contests at St. Petersburg dating back to last season.
Royals starter Luinder Avila (3-3) allowed three hits and walked four in five innings, but he yielded only one run and struck out six.
Tampa Bay starter Shane McClanahan (6-5) had allowed only three home runs all season entering the contest, but he matched that Tuesday while giving up six runs (two earned) in six innings. He permitted six hits and a walk, and he fanned four.
Losers in eight of 11, the Rays were 6-0 in home games this season started by McClanahan prior to Tuesday.
Junior Caminero went 3-for-5 with an eighth-inning solo homer and three RBI for the Rays, who trailed 11-1 after 7½ innings.
Three batters into the game, Kansas City led 2-0. With one out, Loftin sent McClanahan’s pitch into the seats just inside the left-field foul pole. Caglianone then found the right-field catwalk with his estimated 443-foot shot.
The Rays got a run back in their half of the first. Avila hit Yandy Diaz, who extended his home on-base streak to 21 games, then Jonathan Aranda (two hits, RBI) singled. Two batters later, Caminero lined a run-scoring hit to right-center field.
Kansas City’s Michael Massey opened the fifth with a double, and he scored when Tyler Tolbert (two hits) laid down a bunt and made third on McClanahan’s throwing error. Loftin later delivered a two-out RBI single and scored when Caglianone cleared the wall in left-center field for a 6-1 Royals advantage.
The Royals’ Carter Jensen singled in the eighth, extending his hitting streak to 14 games.
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