KC Royals Kendrys Morales Powers 3-2 Victory over Rays

Kendrys Morales hammered a two run shot off the catwalks in Tropicana Field while Edinson Volquez pitched 6.2 solid innings as the KC Royals defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2.

The Royals threatened early, as Ben Zobrist reached on an infield single after the initial out call was reviewed, and moved to second on Lorenzo Cain‘s base hit. However, Rays starter Erasmo Ramirez was able to strand both runners, emerging unscathed in the first.

Ramirez was unable to replicate the feat in the second. With one out, Salvador Perez singled and moved to second on a wild pitch. After a foul out, Paulo Orlando grounded a base hit to right, plating Perez with the first run of the game. Tampa Bay came right back in the bottom of the inning, as Asdrubal Cabrera singled with one out, and scored on James Loney‘s RBI double down the right field line to tie the game.

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Kansas City answered in the top of the third. Zobrist doubled and Cain walked to start the inning, giving the Royals a prime scoring opportunity. However, it seemed as though that chance would be wasted, as Ramirez was able to get Eric Hosmer to ground into a double play. Instead, Kendrys Morales launched Ramirez’ 0-2 offering off the catwalk deep in center field for a two run home run, a call that stood after review, to give the Royals the lead.

Once again, the Rays came back in the bottom of the inning. With two outs, the Rays put runners on first and second, bringing up John Jaso. Volquez was able to get Jaso to pop up to shallow left, but Orlando misread the ball against the Tropicana Field roof, having the ball bounce off his glove for a run scoring error. Volquez was able to get out of the inning with the lead as he induced Logan Forsythe to ground out to short, preserving the one run lead.

From that point, neither team was able to put together much of a scoring threat. Volquez pitched 6.2 solid innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on six hits and two walks, striking out five. The KC Royals bullpen did the rest, allowing only one hit over the final 2.1 innings to preserve the 3-2 victory.

Morales was 2-4 with the game winning two run home run. Zobrist was 2-4 with a double in the win.

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