The top three hitters in the Tampa Bay lineup combined for nine hits and five runs as the Rays roughed up the host Kansas City Royals 14-7 on Tuesday.With the Rays having won two of the first two games in a three-game series, the Royals have their first series loss of the season. Tampa Bay earned its fifth victory in a row.The Rays had a pair of four-run innings and a three-run rally. Austin Meadows, Randy Arozarena and Joey Wendle had three hits apiece, and Meadows, Brandon Lowe and Mike Zunino homered for Tampa Bay.Reliever Andrew Kittredge (3-0) retired all three batters he faced to earn the win. Trevor Richards pitched three innings of one-run ball for his first career save.Royals starter Brad Keller (1-2) gave up five runs on three hits with one strikeout and three walks in 1 2/3 innings.After Keller gave up back-to-back hits in the first, Lowe hit a ground ball to second. Instead of turning an inning-ending double play, Whit Merrifield bobbled the ball and a run scored.Keller got into trouble again in the second inning. A pair of runners around a botched fielder's choice loaded the bases with no outs. Meadows drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Keller retired Arozarena, but then gave up an RBI single to Wendle and walked Lowe to load the bases, ending his night.Reliever Jake Newberry walked the first two batters he faced, Manuel Margot and Yoshi Tsutsugo, forcing in two more runs. The Rays ended up with four runs on a single and five walks in the second.Tampa Bay starter Rich Hill gave up four runs without recording an out in the third. He walked the first batter and then gave up four consecutive hits, including Nicky Lopez's two-run single and Carlos Santana's two-run double to end his night.

Tampa Bay pitchers shut down the Kansas City offense as the Rays defeated the Royals 4-1 on a blustery, cold Monday night in the first game of a three-game series in Kansas City. The Royals managed just five hits.The game-time temperature was 45 degrees, with a wind chill of 39 due to an 18-mph wind out of the north. The wind chill was in the upper 20s by the end of the game.Starting pitcher Josh Fleming (1-1) allowed no runs on two hits in 5 1/3 innings for Tampa Bay, lowering his ERA to 0.87. He only allowed three baserunners, none past the second, and never more than one in an inning. He kept the Royals off-balance mostly with a mix of cutters and sinkers.Danny Duffy (2-1) took the loss for the Royals. He was nearly unhittable early. When he struck out Manuel Margot in the fourth inning, he had his sixth of the game, and 1,000th of his career. He became the sixth pitcher in Kansas City history to achieve that milestone.Duffy had his third straight quality start. He's allowed one earned run in 18 innings over three starts (0.50 ERA). He allowed two runs (none earned) on four hits in six innings Monday. He struck out eight and walked two. Hitters are 3-for-35 with two strikes this season against Duffy.The Rays finally crossed home plate in the fifth, beginning with an error by Carlos Santana. With two outs, Willy Adames' high popup in the wind eluded Santana and Joey Wendle scored from first. Kevin Kiermaier followed with an RBI single.

Salvador Perez homered in his second straight game to lead the Royals to a 2-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in a game of missed opportunities Sunday in Kansas City. The teams combined to leave 15 men on base in the first four innings.The Royals won three of the four games of the series.Perez, who ended Saturday's second game with a walk-off home run, hit his homer 441 feet into the fountains in left center.After leaving baserunners all over the diamond in the first six innings, the Royals unloaded on the Blue Jays' third pitcher in the seventh. T.J. Zeuch gave up three line drives with his first three pitches. Carlos Santana led off with a single, followed by Perez' home run and Jorge Soler's double.Kyle Zimmer (1-0) picked up the win. Greg Holland picked up his second save. Royals pitchers retired the final 18 Toronto batters.Both starting pitchers left the game without allowing a run. Kansas City's Brady Singer gave up two hits in six innings, striking out six and walking three. He has not received a single run of support while he was in the game this season (three starts).Robbie Ray allowed four hits in five innings for Toronto. He tied a career high with six walks and struck out three.

Salvador Perez hit a walk-off home run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning to help the Royals defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 in Game 2 of a doubleheader Saturday in Kansas City. The Blue Jays won the first game 5-1.It was the Royals' first walk-off win since 2019. Perez's home run traveled 459 and landed in the fountains in left-center field.Greg Holland (2-1) pitched a scoreless top of the seventh to pick up the win.The Royals were 3-10 after 13 games in 2020; in 2021 they're 8-5 and in first place in the American League Central.Joel Payamps (0-1) gave up Perez's home run to take the loss.The Blue Jays bullpen had not allowed an earned run in 10 1/3 innings in three games this series prior to the walk-off run.Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 0-for-2 and saw his nine-game hitting streak end for Toronto. Bo Bichette was 0-for-3 and is 0-for-11 in the series.Neither starter was involved in the decision. Toronto starter Tommy Milone gave up two runs in 2 1/3 innings. He struck out four, all on his changeup. Ervin Santana, making his first start for the Royals since 2013, gave up one run in three innings.

With significant rainfall in the forecast for Kansas City on Friday night, the Royals and Toronto Blue Jays will play a doubleheader Saturday.The Royals made the call Friday afternoon."Due to heavy rains expected in the Kansas City area tonight, our game vs. the Blue Jays has been postponed," the team said in a statement. "The teams will play two 7-inning games as part of a split doubleheader tomorrow, April 17. Game 1 will begin at 1:10 p.m., Game 2 is scheduled for 5:10 p.m."

Stephen Matz didn't allow a hit for the first 5 1/3 innings as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Royals 5-1 in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday in Kansas City.Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was 2-for-3 with a home run for Toronto.Matz (3-0) walked Whit Merrifield leading off the first inning. But he got Andrew Benintendi to ground into a double play when the middle infielders shifted to cover second as Merrifield broke on the pitch. He retired the next 11 hitters before walking Jorge Soler in the fifth.Matz allowed one run on two hits in six innings. He struck out five and walked two. Matz now has given up three runs in 18 1/3 innings this season, his first with the Blue Jays.Mike Minor (1-1) took the loss for Kansas City. He allowed four runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. Minor came in with a career 4-0 record and an ERA of 2.00 against the Blue Jays.The Blue Jays gave Matz all the support he'd need in the first. Guerrero extended his hitting streak to nine games with a single. Randal Grichuk followed with a broken-bat single before Lourdes Gurriel Jr. laced a double off the top of the wall in left center, driving in two.

Jakob Junis threw five solid innings for the second straight start as the Royals hung on to defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-5 Thursday night in Kansas City. Junis has allowed two runs in 12 innings this season.The Royals, who ended a six-game streak with one or zero extra-base hits Wednesday, had four doubles and a triple. Toronto's Bo Bichette saw his 11-game hitting streak snapped.Junis (1-0) was not part of the Royals rotation at the start of the year, but he might be now. He threw five scoreless in his first start April 7 when he was expected to go only two or three innings. Thursday night he allowed two runs on five hits. He walked one and struck out six.Scott Barlow earned his first save.Anthony Kay (0-1) made his season debut for the Blue Jays. He allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits in 3 1/3 innings. It was his first career loss.The Royals got to Kay in the first. Whit Merrifield led off with a single and he scored on Andrew Benintendi's opposite-field double.

Starter Brad Keller had his first good outing of the season and the Royals defeated the Los Angeles Angels 6-1 on Wednesday afternoon in the finale of a three-game set in Kansas City.The Royals handed the Angels their first series loss of the season.Salvador Perez was 8-for-12 in the series, including a home run and two RBIs Wednesday.Keller came into the game with a 19.29 ERA after two starts. But on Wednesday, he allowed one run on four hits in 5 2/3 innings, improving to 1-1 on the season.The Royals also saw Hunter Dozier record his first two hits and Andrew Benintendi get his first extra-base hit and multi-hit game of the season.Griffin Canning (0-1) was the hard-luck loser for the Angels, who had been 7-1 against right-handed starters. Canning gave up two runs on six hits in five innings.The Royals had a great opportunity in the first, loading the bases on a single, a walk and catcher's interference. But Michael A. Taylor hit a line drive that struck baserunner Carlos Santana to end the inning.The Angels loaded the bases in the third with a hit, an error and a walk, but Keller struck out Mike Trout and Jared Walsh to get out of the jam.

Veteran right-hander Ervin Santana is back in the big leagues for the first time since 2019 after the Kansas City Royals selected his contract on Tuesday.The Royals added the 38-year-old Santana to the organization in December on a minor league contract and added him from the team's alternate training site.In addition, the team also recalled right-hander Tyler Zuber while moving first baseman/outfielder Ryan McBroom to the alternate site and placing right-hander Josh Staumont on the team's injured list.Santana, 36, did not pitch in the majors in 2020. This offseason he pitched for Tigres del Licey in the Dominican Winter League.The 15-year veteran is a two-time All-Star who is 149-127 with a 4.09 ERA over 387 appearances (384 starts) for five teams, including the Royals in 2013. He went 9-10 in his lone season in Kansas City, with a 3.24 ERA in 32 starts and 211 innings. Santana has also pitched for the Los Angeles Angels (2005-12), Atlanta Braves (2014), Minnesota Twins (2015-18) and Chicago White Sox (2019).

Kansas City catcher Salvador Perez picked off the potential tying run at third base with two outs in the top of the ninth as the Royals defeated the visiting Los Angeles Angels 3-2 Tuesday night.Greg Holland's 0-2 pitch bounced in the dirt but caromed off Jared Walsh at the plate before Perez picked it up and threw out David Fletcher before he could scramble back to the bag.Southpaw Danny Duffy (2-0) pitched six solid innings for the second straight start for Kansas City. He gave up one run on eight hits, walking just one and striking out six. Duffy pitched at least six innings in just two of 11 starts in 2020.The Angels are 0-3 against left-handed starters this season.Dylan Bundy (0-1) took the loss for the Angels. He allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits over seven innings.The Royals got a run in the first on a sacrifice fly by Carlos Santana. Andrew Benintendi took a one-out walk before Perez doubled him to third. It was Perez's fifth straight hit after going 4-for-4 Monday night.Santana drove in the Royals' second run in the third, again without a hit. Whit Merrifield and Benintendi led off the inning with singles. After Perez struck out, both runners advanced on stolen bases. Santana then grounded out to shortstop, scoring Merrifield.

Shohei Ohtani had three hits and three RBIs as the visiting Los Angeles Angels took advantage of three Kansas City errors, defeating the Royals 10-3 on Monday.Angels starter Alex Cobb (1-0) struck out 10 while allowing three runs on four hits and a walk in 5 2/3 innings. He was almost unhittable early. All of his strikeouts came in the first five innings, most of them on his sinker. It was Cobb's first double-digit strikeout game since 2014.Mike Trout reached base for the 29th straight game dating back to 2020, hitting a home run in the ninth inning. The Angels have homered in all 10 games this season.Brady Singer (0-2) pitched well for the Royals, but his defense betrayed him. He allowed four runs, just one earned, in five innings, yielding seven hits. Singer struck out six without issuing a walk.Kansas City catcher Salvador Perez went 4-for-4 and collected his 1,000th career hit.The first four Angels runs scored without RBIs.Los Angeles got two unearned runs in the second inning. After Jared Walsh and Justin Upton opened the frame with singles, Jose Rojas hit a fly ball to medium-depth center. Both runners tagged and advanced. When Michael A. Taylor's throw hit Walsh and rolled into foul territory, Walsh scored, and then Upton scored when Singer's throw went past Perez.The Angels scored their third run in the third on a double-play groundout by Ohtani.

Michael A. Taylor scored the tiebreaking run on a throwing error by Garrett Crochet in the 10th inning Sunday afternoon as the visiting Kansas City Royals rallied for a 4-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox.The Royals overcame a pair of one-run leads before tying it with a ninth-inning long ball and then playing small ball to take the lead in the 10th.Taylor started the 10th inning as the designated runner at second, and immediately took third on a sacrifice bunt by Nicky Lopez.After Whit Merrifield was intentionally walked, Andrew Benintendi laid down a perfect bunt to the right side of the mound. Crochet (0-1) fielded the ball but did not appear to set himself well, and his throw home was in the dirt in front of catcher Zack Collins, allowing Taylor to easily score.Benintendi's bunt occurred after Kansas City forged a 3-3 tie on Carlos Santana's leadoff homer to center field in the ninth off White Sox closer Liam Hendriks. It was Santana's first home run of the season.Chicago had taken a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the eighth when Adam Eaton hit a pinch hit two-run homer inside the right field foul pole off Jesse Hahn.Benintendi also hit an RBI single in the eighth that gave Kansas City a 2-1 lead.Greg Holland (1-1) pitched two scoreless innings for Kansas City in picking up the victory. Kyle Zimmer earned his first career save by striking out Eaton and Collins before retiring Nick Madrigal, stranding designated runner Nick Williams at second.

Saturday afternoon's game between the Kansas City Royals and White Sox has been postponed because of rainy weather in Chicago.The game will be made up as part of a split doubleheader on May 14, the next time the Royals visit Guaranteed Rate Field. The teams will play two seven-inning games, with one starting at 2:10 p.m. ET and the second at 8:10 p.m.

Lance Lynn hurled a complete game in pitching his second career shutout as the Chicago White Sox defeated the Kansas City Royals 6-0 in their home opener Thursday.It was the first complete game in the majors this season.Lynn (1-0) has yet to allow an earned run in two starts, covering 13 2/3 innings. He allowed five singles with 11 strikeouts and no walks vs. the Royals. He allowed just two runners to reach second base.Lynn also got 11 flyball outs. He didn't get his first groundout until the first out of the sixth inning.Lynn cruised from the start, retiring the first 12 batters he faced. When Salvador Perez got an infield single to start the fifth, followed by another single by Jorge Soler, Lynn got the next two batters to fly out. He then struck out Michael A. Taylor.Brad Keller (0-1) took the loss for Kansas City. After lasting just 1 1/3 innings on opening day, he only went 3 1/3 innings against the White Sox. He struggled to get ground balls, something he has excelled at throughout his career.

Jose Ramirez had a pair of two-run home runs as the Cleveland Indians defeated the Kansas City Royals 4-2. Ramirez had one extra-base hit and had not driven in a run in his first four games.Emmanuel Clase, who threw nine of his 15 pitches over 100 mph, picked up the win. Nick Wittgren got the save.Greg Holland took the loss for Kansas City.Neither starter factored in the decision despite strong efforts. Jakob Junis made his first start of the season in what was expected to be a bullpen day for the Royals. He pitched five shutout innings and allowed just one hit. He struck out six and walked two. In eight appearances (six starts) in 2020, Junis' longest outing was 4 2/3 innings.Royals starters had an ERA of 12.66 in the first three games this season, but the starters in this series pitched a combined 11 shutout innings.Shane Bieber, who has never lost to the Royals, went 6 1/3 innings, striking out 12 and walking four. He allowed two runs on three hits. Bieber is 4-0 in eight career starts.Royals pitchers kept the Indians scoreless through the first 14 2/3 innings this series, allowing only five hits prior to Ramirez's sixth-inning home run.Salvador Perez gave the Royals the lead in the fourth with a home run. It was the second home run allowed this season by Bieber. In his Cy Young Award-winning 2020 season he gave up only 15 runs and seven of them came via home runs.

The Indians managed just three hits against three Kansas City pitchers.Danny Duffy (1-0) pitched six innings for Kansas City. He pitched six innings in just two of 11 starts in 2020.Duffy allowed just two hits, while issuing three walks recording and five strikeouts. He faced two baserunners only one time in six innings. The Royals needed a solid outing from a starter. Their starting rotation had a 12.66 ERA in the first three starts, even though starters went 1-1 in the series against Texas.Scott Barlow relieved Duffy in the seventh and retired all six batters he faced. He turned the ball over to Jesse Hahn, who picked up his first save of the season, the fourth of his seven-year career.Logan Allen (0-1) was the hard-luck loser for the Indians. He allowed just two runs on five hits in five innings. He walked two and struck out three. He left the bases loaded in the first and gave up two runs in the second. But he retired 12 of the final 14 batters he faced.

Jordan Lyles held Kansas City's bats mostly quiet as the visiting Texas Rangers defeated the Royals 7-3 in the series finale Sunday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium.The Rangers salvaged the final game of the three-game set after the Royals had scored 25 runs in the first two games of the series.Nate Lowe had a three-run home run in the third to provide all the offense Lyles would need.Lyles (1-0) gave the Rangers the start they needed after blowing 5-0 and 4-0 leads in the first two games of the season. The right-hander allowed two runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out eight and didn't walk a batter.Lyles didn't allow more than one baserunner in any inning until the sixth, when he gave up a leadoff single to Andrew Benintendi and a two-run home run to Salvador Perez.This was supposed to be a short start for Lyles, as the Rangers were planning on piggybacking a reliever after a few innings. But Lyles, who was 1-6 with a 7.02 ERA and 1.56 WHIP last season, was so efficient that manager Chris Woodward let him continue to cruise.Brady Singer (0-1) took the loss for the Royals. He allowed six runs on five hits in 3 1/3 innings. He struck out five and walked three.

Michael A. Taylor replayed his outstanding Opening Day, hitting a home run and driving in three runs for the second straight game as host Kansas City defeated Texas 11-4 on Saturday afternoon. It was the second straight game in double figures for the Royals.Taylor's home run in the sixth got the Royals started on their comeback from a 4-0 deficit. His two-run, bases-loaded double in the sixth gave the Royals the lead.Mike Minor (1-0) picked up the win for Kansas City, allowing four runs on four hits in six innings.Josh Sborz (0-1) took the loss. He didn't retire a batter but gave up three runs on two walks and a hit. Kohei Arihara left with the lead for Texas in his major league debut. He allowed three runs on six hits in five innings, but the bullpen couldn't hold it.The Rangers opened the scoring in the first on a two-run home run by Joey Gallo. With David Dahl on second, Gallo launched a 450-foot blast into the batter's eye in center.

Michael A. Taylor made his Royals debut with three hits and three RBIs as Kansas City defeated the visiting Texas Rangers 14-10 Thursday on Opening Day.Taylor also threw out two runners at the plate.The Royals set a club record for most runs on opening day, clipping their previous high of 11 in 1979.Carlos Hernandez (1-0) picked up the win for KC, the first of his career. Kyle Cody (0-1) took the loss for Texas. Wade Davis picked up the save.Both starting pitchers labored from the start, drawing action in the bullpen in the first inning as both teams scored five times in the opening frame. Texas' Kyle Gibson didn't make it out of the first. KC's Brad Keller got just one out in the second before being removed.The Rangers struck first. Isiah Kiner-Falefa and David Dahl reached on doubles. After a walk to Joey Gallo, Nick Solak's infield hit scored one. Then Nate Lowe doubled to the opposite field, clearing the bases. Lowe scored on an RBI single by Eli White.The Rangers became only the second team since 1961 to open a season with six hits in their first six at-bats (1995 Braves), according to Elias Sports Bureau.It could have been worse for Keller. Andrew Benintendi leaped against the wall in foul territory to get the first out. Then Taylor threw out Brock Holt at home for the second out of the first inning.

The Kansas City Royals placed shortstop Adalberto Mondesi on the 10-day injured list with a right oblique strain on Wednesday, one day before the season opener against the Texas Rangers.The move is retroactive to March 30.Kansas City recalled infielder Nicky Lopez from the alternate training site in Arkansas to fill the roster opening.The 25-year-old Mondesi has a .251 career average and 113 stolen bases in 308 games over the past five seasons. He has 32 homers and 137 RBIs.Last season, Mondesi led the majors with 24 steals in the shortened season. He batted .256 with six homers and 22 RBIs in 59 games.Mondesi stole a career-best 43 bases in 2019 and had 32 thefts in 2018.