KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals took a page out of the Tampa Bay Rays’ playbook on Sunday. The Royals hit three home runs en route to a 8-4 victory at Kauffman Stadium.
The Royals trio of Bobby Witt Jr., Drew Waters and MJ Melendez each homered in the game. KC collected 11 hits to salvage a win in the finale of their three-game series against the Rays.
Melendez opened the scoring in the first inning. He doubled off Rays starter Zack Elfin and scored Royals captain Salvador Perez in the process. The Royals continued to be aggressive against Elfin.
KC scored four runs in the second inning as Waters and Witt hit RBI triples. They combined to go 4 for 8 in the game and accounted for five of the Royals’ eight runs.
That run support was enough for Royals starter Brady Singer. He allowed four runs in eight innings and was dominant for seven of them.
Isaac Parades and Francisco Meija both homered in the eighth before Singer could record the final out of the inning. Scott Barlow pitched the ninth.
The Royals improved to 27-67 and Singer won his sixth game of the season.
Salvador Perez exits with injury
Royals captain Salvador Perez set the tone against the Rays Sunday. But he left the game early with an apparent leg injury.
The Royals announced Perez exited with left-hamstring discomfort. He was set to receive additional testing.
In the first inning, Perez singled off Rays starter Zach Elfin. He drove a 90.4 mph cutter into left field to get aboard in front of designated hitter Melendez.
Melendez followed with a RBI double. Perez circled the bases and scored before the throw made it home from the outfield. However, Perez appeared to grimace as he left the field.
Perez stayed in to catch the second inning but was replaced by backup Freddy Fermin prior to his next at-bat.
Bobby Witt Jr and Drew Waters set club record
It was a special day for Witt and Drew Waters: The duo became the first pair of Royals teammates to each record a triple and home run in the same game.
Waters hit an RBI triple in the second inning. In his next at-bat, he blasted a 465-foot home run into the fountains in right field. Witt recorded a two-run triple in the second inning. He later hit his 16th home run off Rays reliever Yonny Chirinos.
Witt and Waters are the only pair of major-league teammates to accomplish the triple/homer special this season.
What’s next: The Royals begin a four-game home series against the Detroit Tigers on Monday. Jordan Lyles will start against Matt Manning at Kauffman Stadium.
