BALTIMORE (AP) — Kansas City right-hander Yordano Ventura hit Manny Machado with a pitch to spark a bench-emptying fray , and the Baltimore Orioles extended the Royals’ losing streak to a season-high six games with a 9-1 rout Tuesday night.

Mark Trumbo homered and drove in four runs, and the Orioles also got long balls from Ryan Flaherty, Chris Davis and Adam Jones.

But the game’s most striking moment came in the fifth, when Ventura (4-4) drilled Machado in the back with a 99 mph fastball. In the second inning, with Baltimore leading 5-0, the two exchanged words after Ventura twice threw inside to the two-time All-Star.

So in the fifth, an instant after the ball hit him, Machado charged the mound. Ventura prepared for the onslaught by slinging aside his cap and glove, but Machado landed a solid punch before the pitcher tackled him to the ground.

Both dugouts and bullpens emptied before peace was restored. Machado was restrained by teammate Chris Tillman after the initial thrust.

Machado and Ventura were ejected with the score 5-1.

Trumbo greeted reliever Chien-Ming Wang with his major league-leading 20th home run, and Davis followed with a solo shot.

Ubaldo Jimenez (3-6) gave up one run and nine hits over five-plus innings to end a three-game skid.

Baltimore has won six of seven. This was the only victory in that stretch in which the Orioles never trailed.

The Royals stranded 13 and went 1 for 14 with runners in scoring position. It’s been a frustrating losing streak for the defending World Series champions, and Ventura made that clearly apparent with his actions in the fifth inning.

Baltimore opened the bottom of the first with four straight hits and took a 4-0 lead with only one out. The big blow was a two-run double by Trumbo, who scored on a single by Jonathan Schoop. The damage would have been worse if leaping center fielder Lorenzo Cain didn’t reach far over the 7-foot wall to rob Pedro Alvarez of a potential two-run homer.

Flaherty led off the second with his first home run of the season, a drive that traveled an estimated 446 feet before landing on Eutaw Street beyond the right-field wall.

Jimenez, meanwhile, worked out of trouble in each of the first three innings. Then, after issuing a bases-loaded walk to Reymond Fuentes in the fourth, the right-hander got three straight outs.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: 3B Cheslor Cuthbert was in the starting lineup after bruising his elbow Monday night on an errant throw by Schoop. … Monday night starter Danny Duffy, drilled in the left calf by a line drive, said Tuesday: “It was a little tender but nothing to write home about.” … OF Alex Gordon (wrist) has started a throwing regimen but there is no timetable for his return.

Orioles: RHP Yovani Gallardo (shoulder tendinitis) allowed three runs and four hits over five innings in his second and perhaps final rehabilitation start. Manager Buck Showalter said Gallardo has lost 11 pounds since going on the DL on April 23.

UP NEXT

Royals: Edinson Volquez (5-5, 4.03 ERA) will attempt to lift Kansas City out of its season-long funk in the series finale Wednesday night.

Orioles: Unbeaten in nine starts since April 14, Tillman (7-1, 3.33 ERA) attempts to complete the three-game sweep for Baltimore.

— Associated Press —

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles’ latest comeback victory featured an intriguing subplot involving a rookie who made the most of his second chance.

Mark Trumbo and Matt Wieters hit solo homers in the seventh inning to back a sparkling pitching performance by Mike Wright, and the Orioles beat Kansas City 4-1 Monday night to extend the Royals’ losing streak to five games.

Manny Machado also homered for the Orioles, who have won five of six — all in come-from-behind fashion.

Wright (3-3) allowed one run and five hits over seven innings, striking out four and walking two. Just five days earlier, the right-hander gave up four home runs in 2 2/3 innings against Boston and was optioned to the minor leagues less than 24 hours later. But he was recalled the next day when reliever Darren O’Day was placed on the disabled list.

The 6-foot-6 Wright was inserted back into the rotation for this game. Given a “do-over” — as manager Buck Showalter labeled it — he shut down the defending World Series champions over seven gritty innings.

“He came out here with a vengeance,” Machado said.

Wright said: “When you get sent down and recalled the next day, I mean, you’ve got to come out and perform. So I definitely had a little more focus and, like he said, a vengeance.”

Wright and Kansas City left-hander Danny Duffy were locked in a scoreless duel until the Royals pushed across an unearned run in the seventh.

Trumbo led off the bottom half with his 19th home run, and Wieters connected with one out to chase Duffy (1-1). Adam Jones capped the uprising with an RBI double.

And so, as they did twice against Boston and two times against the Yankees within the span of a week, the Orioles turned a deficit into a victory.

“Everybody contributes and everybody steps it up,” second baseman Jonathan Schoop said.

Machado homered off Kelvin Herrera in the eighth after striking out three times against Duffy.

Brad Brach struck out the side in the eighth and Zach Britton got three straight outs for his 18th save.

Duffy gave up five hits and matched his career high with nine strikeouts. The first six innings he pitched were marvelous; after that, not so much.

“I felt really, really good. Shame it had to go down like that,” Duffy said. “But I gave it my all for sure. I made a couple mistakes.”

The Royals’ second five-game skid of the season followed a six-game winning streak.

“Our guys are really good at picking themselves up,” manager Ned Yost said. “You understand that you’re going to go through these things.”

Paulo Orlando and Cheslor Cuthbert hit singles in the Kansas City seventh before Jarrod Dyson chopped a grounder to Machado at shortstop. After Schoop got the force out at second base, he changed his mind about throwing to first and tried a pump-fake, hoping to fool Orlando at third. But Schoop released the ball, which bounced off the right elbow of the sliding Cuthbert and rolled away, allowing Orlando to score.

Cuthbert left with a bruised elbow.

“Everything is going to be OK, it just hit my crazy bone,” Cuthbert said.

Earlier, Duffy took a line drive off his left calf but stayed in the game.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Kris Medlen (shoulder) threw batting practice in Arizona “and everything went great,” Yost said. The right-hander will do it again Tuesday in preparation for a rehab assignment. … OF Brett Eibner (ankle) took batting practice with the team. … OF Alex Gordon (wrist) is improving to the point where he can begin to catch and throw, Yost said.

Orioles: RHP Yovani Gallardo (shoulder) will make his second rehab start Tuesday, this time with Triple-A Norfolk. If all goes well, he could be activated Sunday in Toronto. … SS J.J. Hardy (broken left foot) took 25 grounders in Florida. He’s still weeks from returning to action.

UP NEXT

Royals: Yordano Ventura (4-3, 4.82 ERA) pitches the second game of the series Tuesday night. He’s 4-1 with a 1.91 ERA in five career starts against Baltimore.

Orioles: Ubaldo Jimenez (2-6, 6.59) seeks to strengthen his shaky spot in the rotation after going 0-3 with 16 walks and a 9.97 ERA in his last five starts.

— Associated Press —

CLEVELAND (AP) — The wait was worth it for the Cleveland Indians on Sunday.

“It ended up being a good day, other than it was long,” manager Terry Francona said after his team completed a four-game sweep of the World Series champion Kansas City Royals with a rain-delayed 7-0 victory. “It’s a heck of a lot better when you’re up than when you’re down.”

Francisco Lindor hit one of Cleveland’s four solo homers and drove in three runs. Corey Kluber (5-6) allowed two hits and was pulled after six innings when the game was delayed by inclement weather for 3 hours, 10 minutes.

Lindor, Carlos Santana and rookie Tyler Naquin homered in the fifth. Mike Napoli connected in the fourth.

The Indians moved past the Royals into first place in the AL Central on Saturday. Cleveland has won five straight overall and six of seven against Kansas City this season.

“They were ahead of us,” Napoli said. “You want to win the series, but we put ourselves in a position to sweep. We had a good day today.”

Cleveland swept four games from the Royals for the first time since Aug. 11-14, 2006. The Indians are 18-11 against the AL Central this season.

The game was stopped after Kluber retired the side in the sixth. Heavy rain began to fall at 2:41 p.m. and lasted about an hour. The tarp remained on the field because more rain was expected, but showers didn’t return until around 5 p.m. and fell heavily for about 30 minutes. The game finally resumed at 5:51 p.m.

Kluber, who gave up both hits in the first, struck out six and retired 13 of the final 14 batters he faced.

“Obviously, you’d like to keep going when you’re feeling good,” he said. “You pitch the situation to the game. I’m not trying to get innings any quicker because the weather is coming up.”

Chris Young (2-6) allowed all four home runs in his first start since May 9. The Royals managed three hits off three Cleveland pitchers.

Kansas City came into the series with a six-game winning streak, but lost the opener when Cleveland scored two runs in the ninth. The Royals were outscored 20-2 in the final three games.

“It’s one of those weekends,” manager Ned Yost said. “We’re coming off an undefeated homestand where we pitched great. We just didn’t play well here.”

Naquin, who has homered in three straight games, led off the fifth with a drive that landed in the second deck in right field. Santana homered with one out, and Lindor’s home run came with two outs.

Lindor had a sacrifice fly in the first and an RBI single in the seventh.

The Indians hit four home runs in a game for the first time this season. Cleveland last hit three homers in an inning on July 29, 2015.

STRONG FINISH

The Indians began the homestand by losing two of three to Baltimore and Texas. Outfielder Marlon Byrd was suspended 162 games Wednesday for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

The Indians regrouped to win the final five games before starting a 10-game trip in Seattle on Monday.

“I don’t look back very far,” Francona said. “The last game is a hard game to win. Now we turn the page really quick, but the more you win, the more fun and interesting the next game gets.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: OF Brett Eibner (sprained left ankle) took part in running and agility drills in the outfield Sunday morning. He was injured Tuesday and placed on the 15-day disabled list the following day.

Indians: RHP Joba Chamberlain (left intercostal strain) will be activated from the 15-day DL prior to Monday’s game in Seattle.

UP NEXT

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy (1-0) makes his fifth start and 21st appearance in the opener of a three-game series at Baltimore.

Indians: RHP Trevor Bauer (3-2) is winless in five career appearances against Seattle, where Cleveland opens a four-game series.

— Associated Press —

CLEVELAND (AP) — Francisco Lindor hit two doubles and one of Cleveland’s three home runs, leading the Indians into first place in the AL Central with a 7-1 win over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.

The Indians will go for a sweep of the four-game series Sunday, and have won five of six against the Royals this season.

Lindor, whose two-run homer came in the seventh inning, became the first Indians player to record three extra-base hits in a game this season. He also started an outstanding defensive play in the ninth. Playing in a shift near second base, he made a backhand stop of Kendrys Morales’ hard-hit grounder and flipped to third baseman Jose Ramirez, who was playing behind second. Ramirez threw to first for the out.

Tyler Naquin, who hit his first big league home run Friday, hit a two-run homer in the sixth. Mike Napoli started the four-run inning with a solo homer.

Josh Tomlin (8-1) bounced back from his first loss of the season and allowed one run in 6 1/3 innings.

Napoli belted his 13th homer of the season into the left-field bleachers with one out in the sixth off Ian Kennedy (4-4). Rajai Davis added an RBI single before Naquin’s homer carried into the seats in right-center.

Tomlin, who lost to Texas on Monday, was pulled after Rey Fuentes’ RBI single. Tomlin gave up seven hits and struck out four.

Royals catcher Salvador Perez returned to the lineup after missing six games with a bruised left thigh. He had two hits off Tomlin and is 13 for 20 in his career against him.

Kennedy allowed five runs in six innings for Kansas City, which had won six straight overall entering the series.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Kris Medlen (rotator cuff inflammation) will throw to batters Monday at the team’s training facility in Surprise, Arizona. He has been on the 15-day disabled list since May 11.

Indians: RHP Joba Chamberlain (left intercostal strain) could be activated from the 15-day disabled list early in the week. He threw a 20-pitch simulated game Saturday.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Chris Young (2-5) makes his first start since May 9. He has made two relief appearances since coming off the 15-day disabled list with a sore forearm May 28.

Indians: RHP Corey Kluber (4-6) allowed six runs, including two homers, in seven innings Monday when he lost to Texas. He’s 5-5 in 14 career starts against Kansas City.

— Associated Press —

CLEVELAND (AP) — Danny Salazar pitched like an ace Friday night.

He allowed one run and struck out nine in eight innings, and the Cleveland Indians defeated the Kansas City Royals 6-1.

Salazar (6-3) held Kansas City to three hits and was in command, other than giving up Drew Butera’s leadoff homer in the third. As it turned out, that mistake woke up the pitcher.

“That made me mad,” he said. “I tried to throw a slider there. I just put it there instead of throwing it down in the zone. After that I started being aggressive.”

Yan Gomes homered in the second and Tyler Naquin hit his first major league home run in the seventh for Cleveland, which has won four of five over the defending World Series champions and trails the AL Central-leading Royals by a half-game.

Salazar’s five walks drove his pitch count to 113. Four of the free passes, including an intentional walk in the first, came in the first three innings.

“Even though he did have some walks his stuff was so good,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “His last pitch was 97 or 98 (mph). When you’re throwing that hard and he starts throwing that breaking ball and changeup, that’s a lot of good weapons.”

Alcides Escobar, who singled in the sixth for his 1,000th career hit, was impressed with Salazar after the right-hander beat Kansas City for the second time this season, allowing one run in 16 innings.

“This guy is always very good against us, but his stuff was so nice tonight,” Escobar said. “His fastball was over 95 and the splitter was painting the outside. He did a real, real good job.”

Salazar has allowed two runs or less in nine of his 11 starts.

Francisco Lindor’s RBI single in the third off Edinson Volquez (5-5) broke a 1-all tie and sparked a three-run rally. Mike Napoli followed with an RBI double while the third run scored on Volquez’s wild pitch.

Salazar got a boost from his defense in the seventh when right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall fielded Cheslor Cuthbert’s hit off the wall and threw him out at second trying for a double.

“I love it,” Salazar said. “I was just jumping there.”

Gomes, who has seven home runs, is batting only .174 but his 27 hits have produced 27 RBI.

Butera, filling in behind the plate for the injured Salvador Perez, hit his second home run of the series that briefly tied the game.

Volquez allowed five runs in 6 1/3 innings for Kansas City, which is also playing without third baseman Mike Moustakas and left fielder Alex Gordon because of injuries.

BIG MOMENT

Naquin, a left-handed hitter, homered over the 19-foot high wall in left field.

“Awesome, man,” Naquin said. “Awesome. A major-league home run. No words that could describe that. I knew when I hit it that I hit it well enough to get it out. I always run hard. I’m always going to run hard. You never know.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Manager Ned Yost expects Perez (bruised left thigh) to be behind the plate this weekend. Perez hasn’t played since being injured in a May 28 collision with Cuthbert.

Indians: C Roberto Perez (broken right thumb) is continuing his rehab at the Indians’ training complex in Goodyear, Arizona. Perez was injured on April 30 and is on the 60-day DL.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy (4-3) threw seven shutout innings against the Indians at Progressive Field in a 7-0 win on May 7.

Indians: RHP Josh Tomlin (7-1) looks to bounce back from his first loss of the season. He allowed eight runs (four earned) against Texas on Monday.

— Associated Press —

CLEVELAND (AP) — Francisco Lindor broke out of his slump at the perfect time for the Cleveland Indians.

After tying the game with a ninth-inning triple, Lindor scored the winning run on a head-first dive across home plate on Mike Napoli’s sacrifice fly and the Indians rallied for a 5-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday night.

Lindor was in a 2-for-19 skid when he came to bat in the ninth, but delivered when it mattered.

“I was just thinking, `Make hard contact,” he said, “And I hit it and I was like, `Yes, I did it.’ That’s what I wanted to do.”

Carlos Santana started the rally with a single off Joakim Soria (2-2) and took second on right fielder Paulo Orlando’s fielding error. After Jason Kipnis’ sacrifice, Lindor hit a line drive to right.

Orlando attempted a diving catch but the ball rolled to the wall. Pinch-runner Michael Martinez scored and Lindor slid headfirst into third.

“I didn’t come out running hard out of the box,” Lindor said. “I messed up. That’s a mistake by me, but as soon as I saw the ball drop, I was running until they tell you to stop. I was thinking three all the way.”

Napoli’s fly ball to left was deep enough to score Lindor, who dived into home plate to give Cleveland its second straight walkoff win.

“It means we can do it,” said Lindor, who threw his helmet high in the air after scoring. “We know we can do it, but it’s always fun, it’s always good to have moments like this.”

Tommy Hunter (2-1) pitched 1 2/3 innings for the win.

Soria filled in as closer for Wade Davis, who had pitched three of the last four days and two straight.

“Just didn’t want to use him three days in a row,” manager Ned Yost said of Davis. “It was one of those things where he needed a day.”

Drew Butera and Cheslor Cuthbert homered for the Royals, who appeared on the verge of winning for the ninth time in 10 games. Jarrod Dyson’s fourth-inning single broke a 3-all tie.

Yordano Ventura allowed two runs in seven innings.

Carlos Carrasco allowed three runs over five innings in his first appearance since April 24, when he strained his left hamstring covering first base. He was activated from the 15-day disabled list before the game.

“I thought he threw the ball well,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “He made a couple costly mistakes. It’ll be nice to have him back. He’s a big, big guy for us.”

Lonnie Chisenhall, Jose Ramirez and Tyler Naquin also drove in runs for Cleveland.

CAVS FAN

Royals SS Alcides Escobar has made it clear he’s rooting for the Cleveland Cavaliers to defeat the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals. Escobar wore a gold Cavaliers No. 2 Kyrie Irving jersey during batting practice Thursday.

“I like him,” Escobar said. “He’s doing good. That’s my second favorite player. LeBron (James) and him.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: 3B Mike Moustakas had successful surgery on his right knee to repair a torn ACL on Thursday. … C Salvador Perez could pinch hit this weekend. He took part in running and throwing drills Thursday.

Indians: OF Michael Brantley (inflammation in right shoulder) could start hitting soft toss Friday. He’s been taking swings off a tee the last several days. Brantley is on the disabled list for the second time this season.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Edinson Volquez has lost his last three starts to the

Indians. He’s 2-5 in eight career starts against Cleveland. His 8.25 ERA is his worst against any team he’s faced.

Indians: RHP Danny Salazar will make his 11th career start against the Royals. He pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings against them at Progressive Field on May 6.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals will spend the next 11 days on the road after completing their best homestand in nearly three decades.

Danny Duffy pitched six effective innings and rookie Whit Merrifield had two hits and scored a run as the Kansas City Royals beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6-3 on Wednesday night to complete a 6-0 homestand.

The last time the Royals had a homestand of 6-0 or better was June 2-8, 1988, when they went 7-0.

“It feels good. I wish we could stay here another week,” said Jarrod Dyson, who had a sacrifice bunt, stole a base, walked, scored a run and picked up his sixth outfield assist.

Duffy (1-0) allowed three runs and seven hits, while walking none and striking out six over six innings, his longest outing since moving into the rotation on May 15.

“It’s nice, you have to take care of business at home,” Duffy said. “We didn’t lose in this series at home. It’s huge.”

Duffy was efficient, throwing only 40 pitches in the first four innings and 75 total. Early in his career he would get his pitch count up in a hurry.

“The only way to escape your past is be better than your past,” Duffy said. “Everybody grows in this game.”

Royals relievers Joakim Soria, Kelvin Herrera and Wade Davis held the Rays scoreless over the final three innings. Davis picked up his 16th save in 17 chances, but not before walking one, giving up a hit and uncorking a wild pitch.

Merrifield has hit in his first 11 career starts, which is a Royals’ record. He doubled in the first and scored on Lorenzo Cain’s single. He has scored a run in nine consecutive games, which matches a Royals rookie record set by Mike Aviles in 2008. Merrifield singled in the fourth for his seventh multihit game.

Chris Archer (3-7) gave up five runs, four earned, eight hits and two walks over six innings.

“We were down from the start really quick,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “Archer came out and it looked like his thought was to pound the strike zone and their thought was not to take anything.”

The Royals’ offense included Cain going 3 for 4 with an RBI and scoring two runs. Cain has 24 RBI in 20 games after driving in just 10 in his first 30. Kendrys Morales had two hits and drove in a run.

Curt Casali homered for the Rays, while Mikie Mahtook snapped a career-worst 0-for-19 skid with a third-inning double and scored on a single by Brad Miller.

“Baseball players are dumb sometimes,” Casali said. “We try to over-swing. That’s when we get into fits and stuff doesn’t go the way we want it to. I’m not trying to hit home runs. I’m trying to hit the ball as hard as I can and put as quick of a swing as I can. Fortunately that was a good one.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rays: RHP Brad Boxberger was placed on the DL with a left oblique strain. He came off the DL on Monday, threw 16 pitches Tuesday and returned to the DL. … 2B Steve Pearce was held out of the lineup with right elbow tendinitis.

Royals: 3B Mike Moustakas is scheduled to undergo season-ending right knee surgery Thursday to repair a torn ACL. … OF Brett Eibner went on the DL with a left ankle sprain. … C Salvador Perez, who has missed four games with a bruised thigh, took batting practice and did some light running. He could return sometime during the four-game series at Cleveland.

ROSTER MOVES

The Rays recalled INF Tim Beckham from Triple-A Durham for his second stint. He struck out 23 times in 54 at-bats in his first stint. … The Royals recalled RHP Peter Moylan and OF Reymond Fuentes, who started in right in the season opener, from Triple-A Omaha. RHP Dillon Gee, who started and won Tuesday, was optioned to Omaha.

UP NEXT

Rays: LHP Matt Moore is 1-0 with a 3.24 ERA in three career appearances against the Twins. He snapped a six-game winless streak when he beat the Mets in his previous start.

Royals: Royals RHP Yordano Ventura, who starts Thursday at Cleveland, has a 7.16 ERA in his past six starts, allowing 37 hits, including seven home runs, and walking 19 in 32 2/3 innings.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Lorenzo Cain homered and drove in four runs as the Kansas City Royals beat the Tampa Bay Rays 10-5 on Tuesday night, extending their winning streak to a season-best five games.

The Royals, who have won six straight series, took a two-game lead in the AL Central after being seven games out and in fourth place on May 10.

Cain hit a two-run homer in the first inning and a two-run single in the five-run fifth when the Royals batted around. Cain has 23 RBI in his past 19 games after driving in 10 runs in his first 30 games.

Kendrys Morales homered — a two-run shot in the sixth — and drove in three runs for the Royals while Eric Hosmer had three hits and drove in two runs. Hosmer is 13 for 30 with 13 RBI on this homestand.

Royals right-hander Dillon Gee (2-2) labored through five innings to pick up the victory, throwing 102 pitches. He gave up four runs and nine hits, while walking one and striking out seven.

Rays starter Drew Smyly (2-7) was pulled after four innings, yielding eight runs and 12 hits. In his past three starts, all losses, he has allowed 25 hits and 16 earned runs in 16 1/3 innings.

Every Royal had at least one hit. Paulo Orlando singled in the eighth, extending his hitting streak to a career-high 14 games. Drew Butera had three hits, matching his career high.

Corey Dickerson hit a three-run homer for the Rays in the second and drove in another run in the ninth.

The Rays loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth off rookie left-hander Scott Alexander. Evan Longoria led off the inning with a double and Alexander walked the next two. After Dickerson’s one-out RBI single, Wade Davis was summoned and picked up his 15th save in 16 opportunities.

THE DEFENSE RESTS

The Rays, who made three errors Monday, have committed 11 in their past seven games with four multi-error games. “That’s terrible,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “We’re better than that and we need to get better at it.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rays: RHP Brad Boxberger, who just came off the DL after adductor muscle surgery in March, left after 16 pitches in the sixth with a muscle strain in his left side. . 2B Steve Pearce, who left in the eighth inning Monday with a tender right elbow, was back in the lineup Tuesday, but was pinch hit for in the fifth inning. . RHPs Alex Cobb and Chase Whitley, who both underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2015, each threw a 35-pitch bullpen session Tuesday at Tropicana Field. . INF Logan Forsythe, who is on the DL with a left scapula hairline fracture, hit off the tee and fielded ground balls at Tropicana.

Royals: LF Brett Eibner was carted from the field in the fifth inning with a left ankle sprain. He will be evaluated further Wednesday. . 3B Mike Moustakas, who has a torn right ACL, will see Dr. James Andrews on Wednesday for a second opinion. . LHP Mike Minor, who missed last season after surgery for a torn labrum, was pulled out of his rehab assignment with shoulder fatigue. He came Tuesday to Kansas City to be examined by the Royals medical staff.

UP NEXT

Rays: RHP Chris Archer is 0-2 with a 6.27 ERA in three career starts against the Royals.

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy has a 4.86 ERA this season at Kauffman Stadium and a 1.29 ERA on the road.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Late-inning rallies are becoming the trademark for the Kansas City Royals.

Eric Hosmer hit a three-run homer after Lorenzo Cain drove in the go-ahead run in a four-run eighth inning and the Royals defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 6-2 on Monday night.

The Royals have won four straight, matching their season best streak, and have scored 19 runs after the sixth innings in those victories.

“Good teams at the end of the game find ways to do it,” Hosmer said. “We’ve been really doing it a lot of different ways, finding a way each and every night.”

Cain’s single scored Alcides Escobar with the first run of the inning before Hosmer took a pitch from Erasmo Ramirez (6-3) deep to right-center for his 10th home run. Hosmer has 10 RBI in the first four games of this homestand.

“Cain took a good protective swing,” Ramirez said. “He got good contact there through the right side. I made a high pitch to a great hitter like Hosmer, so he just made me pay about it. So, now I can do nothing about it.”

Kelvin Herrera (1-1) blew the save, allowing a run in the eighth, but he picked up the victory. Steve Pearce scored from second on an infield single by Steven Souza Jr. to tie it at 2.

Royals starter Ian Kennedy walked a season-high five, including the bases loaded in the fifth, but limited the Rays to three singles and one unearned run over six innings. He has allowed two or fewer runs in eight of his 10 starts, lowering his ERA to 3.03.

Kennedy retired Logan Morrison on a pop up to shortstop Escobar to end the fifth. Kennedy also escaped a bases loaded jam in a 29-pitch first inning when he walked two. He struck out Souza looking to end the inning.

Rays right-hander Matt Andriese allowed two runs and five hits over seven innings.

Kendrys Morales walked with one out in the Royals’ second. Paulo Orlando, who had two hits and is batting a major league-leading .441 in May, doubled, moving Morales to third, where he scored on Cheslor Cuthbert’s groundout.

The Rays tied it with an unearned run in the fourth. Morrison led off with a single, stole second, took third on catcher Drew Butera’s throwing error and scored on Corey Dickerson’s groundout to second baseman Whit Merrifield.

Jarrod Dyson produced a run with his feet in fifth. Dyson singled to center and when Desmond Jennings had difficulties picking up the ball, Dyson motored to second, just beating the throw. Dyson stole third and when catcher Hank Conger’s throw landed in left field he trotted home.

“They probably felt I wasn’t going,” Dyson said. “A 3-1 count is a fastball count. I picked a good spot to go. Catcher come up, tried to fire it, rushed his throw and the ball ended up in the outfield. I get up and score easily.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rays: Pearce left after seven innings with a right elbow irritation. “I’ve been dealing with it for a while,” Pearce said. “It just flared up a little bit.” … RHP Ryan Webb was placed on the 15-day DL, retroactive to Friday, with a right pectoral strain. … RHP Brad Boxberger, who had surgery March 17 to repair a torn adductor brevis muscle, was reinstated from the DL.

Royals: C Salvador Perez missed his second straight game with a bruised quad.

SHORTSTOP BENCHED

Rays SS Brad Miller, who has committed four errors in his past nine games including a throwing miscue in the sixth inning Sunday to end RHP Jake Odorizzi’s perfect game bid against the Yankees, did not start. He came in in the eighth inning and promptly committed another error, botching a grounder by Orlando.

UP NEXT

Rays: LHP Drew Smyly, who starts Tuesday, was a college teammate of Royals OF Brett Eibner at Arkansas.

Royals: RHP Dillon Gee has never faced the Rays, leaving just the Red Sox, Indians and Mets as teams he has never pitched against.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Cheslor Cuthbert drove in the go-ahead run with an infield hit in a three-run eighth inning, and the Kansas City Royals rallied for the third straight game in a 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.

Chicago wasted a 4-2 lead in the eighth after failing to protect a 5-2 seventh-inning advantage on Friday and a 7-1 ninth-inning margin on Saturday. White Sox relievers allowed 17 runs, 15 hits and eight walks over 6 1/3 innings in the three-game series, and Chicago has lost 14 of its last 18 games after a 23-10 start.

Seeking to become the major leagues’ first 10-game winner, Chris Sale left with a 4-2 lead after seven innings. Lorenzo Cain homered with one out off Nate Jones (2-1), Eric Hosmer doubled, and Kansas City loaded the bases with Kendrys Morales’ walk and Paulo Orlando’s single.

Jones walked Brett Eibner on a low, outside pitch, forcing in the tying run. Matt Albers relieved and Cuthbert hit a grounder that second baseman Brett Lawrie snagged with a dive as pinch-runner Jarrod Dyson came home from third. Lawrie’s throw from his back went about 10 feet, and first baseman Jose Abreu picked up the ball and threw out Orlando at the plate.

Chris Young (2-5), activated from the disabled list Saturday, pitched a 1-2-3 eighth, and Wade Davis thew a perfect ninth for his 14th save in 15 chances.

Hosmer three hits and went 8 for 13 with seven RBI in the series

Sale fell behind in the first when Cain hit an RBI double and scored on Hosmer’s single. Sale allowed six hits and struck out six.

Kansas City’s Edinson Volquez gave up three runs and six hits in six innings.

Orlando made a diving catch in right to rob Austin Jackson on an extra-base hit in the seventh, holding Kansas City to a sacrifice fly.

STREAKING

Whit Merrifield has hit in all eight Royals games he has started.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: C Salvador Perez is expected to be out seven to 10 days with a bruised left thigh, the result of a collision with Cuthbert while catching a foul pop up Saturday. A MRI detected no structural damage. . Morales played for the first time since Tuesday after missing three games with a swollen right middle finger knuckle.

UP NEXT

White Sox: LHP Jose Quintana (5-4) is to start Monday’s series opener at the New York Mets, who will start Matt Harvey.

Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy (4-3) will start Monday against Tampa Bay and Matt Andriese.

— Associated Press —