Kansas City Royals Sweep Tampa Bay Rays in Yordano Ventura’s Return

With Alex Gordon being placed on the disabled list and expected out until September, the Kansas City Royals needed something positive. They received that with a decent outing by Yordano Ventura and an offensive outburst, as the Royals finished off their sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays with an 8-3 victory.

The Royals offense got rolling early against Rays starter Nathan Karns. Alcides Escobar singled, and scored on Eric Hosmer‘s double to right. On the next pitch, Lorenzo Cain launched a home run to left, giving the Royals a 3-0 lead five pitches into Karns outing. Cheslor Cuthbert added an RBI triple in the bottom of the second as the Royals had a quick 4-0 lead.

In his first start back from the disabled list, Yordano Ventura cruised along until hitting the wall in the fifth inning. A single, a double and a walk loaded the bases with no one out, before Ventura walked Rene Rivera to force in a run. John Jaso and Grady Sizemore had back to back sacrifice flies to pull the Rays within a run before Ventura got out of the jam when James Loney flew out to center to end the inning.

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The Royals built that lead right back in the bottom half of the inning. Hosmer singled and Cain was hit by a pitch, putting runners on first and second with one out. A wild pitch moved both runners up, and Kendrys Morales hit a sacrifice fly to plate Hosmer. Salvador Perez followed with a two run home run to left, giving the Royals a 7-3 lead.

Kansas City added another run in the eighth. Omar Infante and Alex Rios singled with one out, brining up Cuthbert. He continued his solid start to his major league career as he drove in Infante with a base hit to left, giving the Royals an 8-3 lead.

That would prove to be the final margin of victory as the Kansas City Royals swept the Tampa Bay Rays. Ventura earned the win, allowing three runs on four hits and three walks, striking out four over his five innings. Cuthbert was 2-4 with a triple and two RBI in a game where every Royals starter had at least one hit.

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