DETROIT (AP) — In eight games with the Kansas City Royals, Kelvin Gutierrez has already made a nice impression.

Gutierrez had four hits and a stolen base Saturday, and the Royals routed the Detroit Tigers 15-3. Kansas City scored four runs in the first inning and six in the eighth. Alex Gordon homered and drove in five runs.

Gutierrez, acquired from Washington last year in a trade for namesake Kelvin Herrera, made his big league debut April 27. This was his third multihit game, but his first with more than two.

“I feel great because the team gives me an opportunity and I play great,” Gutierrez said. “It felt great.”

The Royals chased Detroit right-hander Tyson Ross (1-4) in the second inning and scored the game’s first seven runs. Homer Bailey (3-3) allowed two runs in six innings in a solid outing for Kansas City.

Whit Merrifield also homered for the Royals, and Jeimer Candelario and Ronny Rodriguez went deep for the Tigers.

Ross was making his first start since returning from the paternity list. He and his wife Ashley welcomed their first child, Jordan Anthony Ross, on Wednesday.

His outing Saturday was a forgettable one. He allowed six hits in the first inning, including Gordon’s two-run homer that opened the scoring and an RBI double by Jorge Soler. Ryan O’Hearn added a run-scoring single to make it 4-0.

Adalberto Mondesi hit an RBI triple in the second, and Ross was done after a one-out walk by Hunter Dozier.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been on the bump,” said Ross, whose previous outing was April 24. “It’s a little bit of a bump in the road here, but I’m looking forward to getting back to work and getting back to my rhythm.”

Reliever Reed Garrett didn’t fare any better, allowing an RBI double to Gutierrez in the third, and then three walks. His last walk forced in a run to make it 7-0, and Garrett was pulled, too.

Candelario hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the third, but Merrifield’s solo shot in the fifth made it 8-2, and Gordon added a sacrifice fly that inning.

Drew VerHagen came on for Detroit in the eighth and allowed six more runs. He allowed three walks and five hits, including a two-run single by Gordon . VerHagen was designated for assignment after the game.

“Maybe a change of scenery might do him good,” Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said.

Rodriguez hit a solo homer in the bottom of the eighth.

TAKING A CUT

Candelario tossed his bat like he thought he’d drawn ball four in the third, but the pitch was called as strike and he stayed at the plate. Swinging turned out to be the better move. He ended up homering in that plate appearance.

BIG NUMBERS

The Royals had 19 hits and drew 10 walks.

“I think up and down the lineup, you just have to look at it personally,” Gordon said. “Just never giving at-bats away, no matter what the score is.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: OF Christin Stewart (right quad) began a rehab assignment with Class A Lakeland on Friday night and went 3 for 5 with a homer.

UP NEXT

Royals: Brad Keller (2-3) takes the mound Sunday in the rubber match of this three-game series.

Tigers: Spencer Turnbull (2-2) pitches for Detroit. He has allowed one earned run over his past three starts.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Brandon Lowe followed a solid first month with a hot start to May.

The Tampa Bay rookie hit a two-run homer off Wily Peralta with two outs in the ninth inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays rallied to beat the Kansas City Royals 3-1 Thursday for a four-game split.

Lowe hit a changeup to right that just kept carrying and went over the wall.

“I didn’t know it was going to be a home run,” Lowe said. “As I was running, I was saying, `C’mon, get up.’ I was asking for it to do something for me. It wasn’t the intention in that at-bat. I was just trying to find a gap.”

Peralta (2-2) walked Daniel Robertson on four pitches leading off the ninth, and Lowe connected with two outs for his seventh home run this season.

Lowe’s average through the end of April with .289 with six homers and 17 RBI. He is 5 for 12 in May.

“He did it right again today,” manager Kevin Cash said. “He came up in a clutch situation. He got a pitch, and it kind of looked like he got out in front of it a little bit. But we’ve talked about his power. For not the biggest guy in the world, he can generate a lot of power.”

Whit Merrifield became the third player with a two-triple game this season for the Royals, who lead the major leagues with 17 in 32 games. His third-inning triple drove in Martin Maldonado, who beat out an infield hit and is 7 for 13 against Charlie Morton.

Merrifield entered 30 for 89 against the Rays.

“I saw the stat that he’s 30-for-90 against us in his career,” Cash said. “I would have guessed he was like 90-for-30.”AL East-leading Tampa Bay tied the score in the fifth on consecutive singles by Willy Adames, Nate Lowe and Guillermo Heredia.

Adam Kolarek (2-1) got the final two outs of the eighth, and Diego Castillo struck out two in a perfect ninth for his fourth save in as many chances. Tampa Bay won the season series 4-3.

Royals starter Danny Duffy allowed six hits in six innings, while Charlie Morton gave up five hits in 6 2/3 innings with nine strikeouts.

“He’s nasty,” Kansas City’s Alex Gordon said. “Usually I’m pretty frustrated when the offense only scores one run. But when the guy has stuff like that and commands it like that, it’s hard to hit.”

GETTING HOT

Hunter Dozier had two hits. Since an opening 3-for-27 slide, he is 30 for 69 (.435).

STAYING COLD

Chris Owings was 0 for 22 with 10 strikeouts against the Rays this season.

MOVES

Rays: RHP Austin Pruitt, the 26th man during Wednesday’s doubleheader, was returned to Triple-A Durham. Tampa Bay recalled RHP Casey Sadler from Durham for his second stint of the season following a one-day appearance on April 19. He pitched two scoreless innings in his major league debut.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rays: RHP Hunter Wood was put on the 10-day IL with right shoulder soreness.

UP NEXT

Rays: RHP Tyler Glasnow (5-0), who leads the AL with a 1.75 ERA, starts Friday at Baltimore.

Royals: RHP Jorge Lopez (0-2) starts Friday’s series opener at Detroit.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Glenn Sparkman and Kelvin Gutierrez were hanging out at Triple-A Omaha last weekend, the career reliever and young third baseman eagerly awaiting a call from the Kansas City Royals.

They both got it. And they both made the most of it.

Sparkman was recalled on Wednesday to start the second game of a doubleheader against Tampa Bay, and he merely breezed through seven innings of three-hit ball while outpitching reigning AL Cy Young winner Blake Snell in an 8-0 victory. Gutierrez hit his first homer in the second game to go with an RBI in the first, which Kansas City took by a 3-2 score.

“My focus today was just trying to stay relaxed. Don’t let the game get too big,” said Sparkman, who arrived in town about 1 a.m. and proceeded to earn his first major league win. “I knew I had to go out there and do my thing to get the sweep.”

In the opener, Adalberto Mondesi hit a two-run homer to highlight a three-run first inning for Kansas City, and Jacob Junis and the bullpen held on the rest of the way. Mondesi also drove in a run in the second game to cap a big afternoon, while Gutierrez’s homer off the foul pole helped him match a Royals record with seven RBI in his first five games.

It was the first time the Royals swept a doubleheader since July 7, 2015, when a team that would reach its second straight World Series also accomplished the feat against the Rays.

“The first game we scored three runs in the first and just could not tack on, and fortunately we were able to tack on in the second,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “We broke the game open.”

The sweep was especially eye-opening given Tampa Bay was coming off a club-record 19 wins through April, and the Royals had stumbled into the day having lost eight of their last 10.

“I mean look, doubleheaders are tough to begin with. I think you’ve got to give a lot of credit to the Royals,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “They came out and ready to go, two ballgames, sweep the doubleheader — whether you’re at home or on the road, that’s a difficult thing to do in baseball, and they just did it to what we would consider a good team.”

Junis (3-2) won his second consecutive start , both against the Rays, by allowing two runs on six hits in 6 1/3 innings in the opener. The young pitcher walked two and struck out two.

The Royals jumped on Rays opener Ryne Stanek (0-1) when Whit Merrifield led off with a double and stole third before Mondesi drilled his fourth homer this season to right. Alex Gordon walked and later scored as the first four batters reached safely.

Ian Kennedy worked two scoreless innings for his second save in three chances.

The Royals kept rolling in the second game, getting the first of two RBI singles by Jorge Soler and Gutierrez’s homer to stake them to a 3-0 lead against Snell after the first inning.

Kansas City added another run in the third before a four-run fourth inning sent Snell to the clubhouse. The first six batters reached base in the frame on four hits and a pair of walks.

Billy Hamilton chased Snell (2-3) with an RBI single in the fourth, the third straight batter to reach to start the inning. By the time all three scored, Snell had allowed seven runs on six hits and three walks in his second start since a 10-day layoff for a broken toe.

“It was uncharacteristic,” Cash said. “He just never could get it right, for whatever reason.”

DOUBLE DIPPING

The doubleheader was caused by a rainout Tuesday night. The Rays don’t return to Kansas City, so with more rain looming on Wednesday night, the decision was made to start early and play a traditional doubleheader rather than a day-night set. The forecast looks good for the series finale Thursday.

STATS AND STREAKS

The last time the Royals swept a traditional doubleheader was Sept. 13, 2008, at Cleveland. … The Royals stole two bases in each game, giving them a league-leading 33 this season. … The seven runs Snell allowed were a career high. He had allowed just eight earned runs in his previous 28 1/3 innings. … The Rays’ Daniel Robertson and Ji-Man Choi homered in the ninth in the second game.

UP NEXT

Rays RHP Charlie Morton (3-0, 2.76) tries to remain unbeaten when the teams conclude a four-game set Thursday. LHP Danny Duffy (0-1, 5.40) is on the mound for the Royals.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Tampa Bay Rays’ game against the Kansas City Royals was washed out Tuesday night, and the teams will make it up at part of a doubleheader Wednesday with the first game starting at 12:15 p.m.

The second game will begin 45 minutes after the first game.

The Rays planned to send Blake Snell to the mound Tuesday in his second start since hurting his toe in a freak accident at home, while the Royals planned to counter with Jakob Junis.

Tampa Bay intended to use an opener against the Royals’ Danny Duffy in their game Wednesday.

The Rays (19-9) rolled to an 8-5 win in the opener Monday night, building upon the best record in baseball. The rainout means Kansas City (9-20) will avoid matching its worst March-April loss total of 21, set just last season.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Tommy Pham, Yandy Diaz and Ji-Man Choi each drove in a pair of runs, sending the hot-hitting Tampa Bay Rays to an 8-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Monday night.

Michael Perez and Kevin Kiermaier also drove in runs for the Rays (19-9), who have won five of six to build upon the best record in baseball. They also moved to 10-2 on the road.

Yonny Chirinos went 5 2/3 innings in relief of effective opener Ryne Stanek, allowing two earned runs on two hits and a walk. Chirinos improved to 4-0 after going 0-3 last season.

The Rays did most of their damage against Brad Keller (2-3), who struggled in his return from a five-game suspension for his role in a fracas with the Chicago White Sox. The big right-hander allowed five runs on six hits and three walks over five innings.

The Rays jumped on Keller in the first when Choi drew a two-out walk, went to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on a balk. When he scored on Diaz’s base hit, Tampa Bay had outscored its opponents 29-4 in the first inning this season.

The Rays added three more in the second after Kiermaier was hit by a pitch, beginning a parade of batters to the plate. Perez delivered an RBI double and Pham provided the big blow with a two-run triple, staking the Rays’ pitching staff — with the best ERA in baseball — to a 4-0 lead.

They nearly gave it right back in the third.

The Royals took advantage of an error by Rays shortstop Daniel Robertson and a walk to Whit Merrifield when Adalberto Mondesi tripled to right. He scored on Alex Gordon’s sacrifice fly.

Jorge Soler homered in the seventh for Kansas City, but the Rays added a run in the eighth and Choi’s two-run double off Wily Peralta in the ninth to put the game away.

FRIENDS IN LOWE PLACES

Rays DH Nate Lowe doubled in the eighth for his first big league hit. The slugger roared through three minor league levels last season and was hitting .300 at Triple-A Durham.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rays: INF Matt Duffy took some at-bats in extended spring training as he rehabs from a sore back and ailing hamstring. He hopes to return in the next couple of weeks. “He felt good,” manager Kevin Cash said. “Progress is being made.”

Royals: OF Billy Hamilton got another day off after leaving Saturday night’s game against the Angels with a sore hamstring. “That’s one of his main strengths,” manager Ned Yost said of Hamilton’s speed. “I’m going to wait until he’s really good, then I’m going to give him one more day.”

UP NEXT

AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell (2-2, 2.54 ERA) makes his second start after returning from a toe injury on Tuesday night against the Royals. Snell was on a 65-pitch limit and got knocked around his last time out. Jakob Junis (2-2, 5.57) will be on the mound for Kansas City.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Albert Pujols opened the weekend by passing Lou Gehrig on the career RBI list and ended it by moving past Barry Bonds.

Pujols’ go-ahead, two-run double in the first inning Sunday started the Los Angeles Angels to a 7-3 win over the Kansas City Royals.

He pulled a fastball from Homer Bailey (2-3) just past third baseman Kelvin Gutierrez. Pujols has 1,997 RBI and trails only Hank Aaron (2,297) and Alex Rodriguez (2,086) in RBI, which became an official statistic in 1920.

Pujols did not speak with reporters after the game.

“He’s had an unbelievable career,” Angels manager Brad Ausmus said. “He continues to add onto it.”

Matt Harvey (1-2) got his first win with the Angels, allowing one run and two hits in seven innings.

“I thought he picked up where he left off in his last inning of his last outing,” Ausmus said. “He was aggressive. He attacked the hitters. His stuff was good. He threw some really good changeups and curveballs.”

Harvey lowered his ERA from 8.03 to 6.54 as the Angels won a road series for the first time this season.

“The big thing was putting together a decent start from the last outing. I was trying to keep that going. The thought crept into my head early this morning,” Harvey said. “I used that as energy to stay focused and keep my attention. I wasn’t striking out the world, but the guys were making plays behind me. I knew, especially with the wind blowing in, that I could attack the zone.”

The key pitches for Harvey were improved changeups and curveballs. Pitching coach Doug White has cautioned Harvey not to overuse his slider.

“For him to stay on me about the changeup and the curveball and going through the drills we do in between starts has been huge,” Harvey said.

Kansas City’s Alex Gordon, who faced Harvey in the 2015 World Series against the New York Mets, said the 30-year-old right-hander “kind of looked like the Matt Harvey of old.”

Bailey gave up six hits to his first 13 batters and retired his final 10. He allowed four runs in six innings as the Royals dropped to an AL-worst 9-19.

“I thought Homer didn’t have his best stuff today, but really grinded it out, really competed and really battled through it to get us six good innings,” Kansas City manager Ned Yost said.

Tommy LaStella’s RBI groundout in the first and Andrelton Simmons’ RBI single in the third boosted the lead to 4-0.

“Soft singles, but singles nonetheless,” Bailey said. “Then Albert’s ball, if that’s 6 inches the other way it’s a double play. That’s just the way it goes with good hitters.”

Kansas City scored in the fourth without a hit when Alex Gordon reached on a wild pitch as he struck out, advanced on a walk, took third on a flyout and came home on Jorge Soler’s sacrifice fly.

Hunter Dozier’s RBI single off Ty Buttrey in the eighth cut the Royals’ deficit to 4-2. Justin Bour hit a three-run home run in the ninth against Ben Lively.

MOVES

Angels: Optioned RHP Jaime Barria to Triple-A Salt Lake and recalled RHP John Curtiss.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Angels: OF/RHP Shohei Ohtani continues to improve in his return from Tommy John surgery, taking batting practice each day. Manager Brad Ausmus would not say when he might be ready to hit in a game.

Royals: OF Billy Hamilton was out of the lineup with right hamstring tightness, a day after leaving in the fifth inning.

UP NEXT

Angels: Los Angeles plans to bring up top pitching prospect Griffin Canning to start Tuesday at Toronto in his major league debut. The 22-year-old right-hander is 1-0 with a 0.56 ERA at Salt Lake, allowing one earned run in 16 innings with 17 strikeouts and two walks. “I think we’ve always liked the stuff,” manager Brad Aumus said. “There’s been a little caution because of the limited time in the professional ranks, and of course, the pitch count, which we addressed by sending him to Arizona to get up to 90 pitches.”

Royals: RHP Brad Keller (2-2) starts Monday against Tampa Bay after serving a five-game suspension for hitting Tim Anderson of the Chicago White Sox with a pitch April 17.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Albert Pujols hit a two-run homer in the first inning and moved passed Lou Gehrig into fourth place on the career RBI list, and Tyler Skaggs pitched five shutout innings as the Los Angeles Angels beat the Kansas City Royals 5-1 Friday night.

Pujols has 1,995 RBI, one behind Barry Bonds in third place. Only Hank Aaron (2,297) and Alex Rodriguez (2,086) have more than 2,000 RBI.

Skaggs (2-2) continued to baffle the Royals at Kauffman Stadium. The left-hander didn’t allow a run in five innings plus one batter.

Skaggs has allowed just one earned run over 26 innings (0.35 ERA) in four starts. He now has the best ERA all-time in Kansas City (0.35) with a minimum of 20 innings. In four starts against Kansas City, the Royals have hit .227 against (17-of-88, .193 average, with three doubles).

The Royals’ Danny Duffy (0-1) gave up three runs on five hits in five innings in his first start of the season after spending the nearly two months on the injured list with left shoulder impingement.

Duffy struggled in the first inning, allowing two runs on three hits. He gave up another run in the fifth on a two-out double by Andrelton Simmons.

The Angels got their fourth run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Luis Rengifo. It was Rengifo’s first career RBI. The Angels added another run in the eighth on Kole Calhoun’s seventh homer of the season.

Pujols passed Gehrig by hitting a 2-1 pitch to left-center that traveled 430 feet.

The Royals nearly got to Skaggs in the fourth. With two outs, Alex Gordon and Hunter Dozier singled and Jorge Soler drew a walk. But Skaggs got Ryan O’Hearn to swing at a 3-2 fastball.

The Royals got a run in the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Adalberto Mondesi.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Angels OF/RHP Shohei Ohtani continues to take live batting practice in his attempt to return from Tommy John surgery. He underwent the operation Oct. 1, 2018. … OF Mike Trout was the DH against the Royals, but manager Brad Ausmus said it was because the Angels got in late following a late 11-5 victory over the New York Yankees in Anaheim.

Royals 3B Hunter Dozier was back in the lineup, but not on defense. He served as the designated hitter. He came out of Monday’s game in Tampa with back spasms. Kansas City manager Ned Yost said Dozier probably would be the DH for a couple of days. “He’s making progress. He’s feeling better. He feels good today, but he’ll probably DH for a couple of days until he’s feeling better.”

ROSTER NEWS

The Angels reinstated LHP Tyler Skaggs from the 10-day injured list, where he’d been since April 13 with a left ankle sprain. He took the spot of RHP Cody Allen, who was placed on the 10-day IL with a lumbar spine strain. “It first came up probably three or four days ago,” Los Angeles manager Brad Ausmus said. “We actually had a game where it locked up in the bullpen; he was unavailable. It seemed to be better the next day, and then better even more the following day. Just prior to coming out from his last outing, he said that it tightened up again.”

The Angels also recalled RHP Luke Bard from Triple-A Salt Lake and optioned RHP Matt Ramsey to Salt Lake.

The Royals activated LHP Danny Duffy from the 10-day IL. He made his first appearance — and first start — of the season against the Angels on Friday night. Duffy was placed on the injured list with left shoulder impingement syndrome during spring training. He had one appearance at Double-A Northwest Arkansas (five innings, four hits, one unearned run and seven strikeouts). To make room, the Royals optioned LHP Tim Hill to Triple-A Omaha. Hill was 0-0 with a 6.75 ERA in eight relief appearances.

The Royals also placed 1B Lucas Duda on the 10-day IL (retroactive to April 24) with a lumbar strain, and recalled IF Kelvin Gutierrez from Omaha. Gutierrez was hitting .333 (22-for-66) with a double, two homers and 10 RBI in his first 18 games with the Storm Chasers this season.

UP NEXT

Angels RHP Jaime Barria (2-1, 4.26 ERA) will take the mound for the first time against the Royals. He is in his second stint with the club, after being recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake on April 15.

Royals RHP Jorge Lopez (0-2, 4.50 ERA) will pitch for the Royals. He has pitched at least six innings in each of his four starts this season, including seven against the Yankees in New York in his last start (no decision).

— Associated Press —

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay ace Blake Snell lasted one out into the fourth inning in his return from a broken right fourth toe as the Rays were beaten 10-2 by the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday.

The 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner, who hurt the toe attempting to move a decorative display in his bathroom on April 14, allowed three runs, five hits, two walks and struck out three during a 65-pitch outing.

The left-hander (2-2) had given up one run and nine hits over 19 innings in three starts prior to the injury.

Adalberto Mondesi hit a three-run homer and drove in four runs, Billy Hamilton had two hits and two RBI, and Jakob Junis (2-2) gave up one run and four hits in five innings for the Royals, who stopped a five-game losing streak.

Junis bruised his right hand on Yandy Diaz’s drive that resulted in an inning-ending double-play in the fifth.

Snell, signed to a $50 million, five year contract on March 21, said Tuesday that he still had some discomfort in the toe when he walks, but not when throwing on a mound.

The Rays decided that Snell was ready to return despite throwing just an 18-pitch bullpen session Saturday and eight pitches off a mound Monday.

Snell was replaced by Ryan Yarbrough with a runner on third and one out in the fourth.

Kansas City greeted Yarbrough with consecutive bunt singles, including Cam Gallagher’s that drove in a run, and Hamilton’s RBI double that made it 4-1.

Hamilton had a run-scoring triple and Mondesi hit his third homer off Yarbrough to put the Royals ahead 8-1 in the sixth.

Hamilton is 3 for 36 overall against the Rays.

Mondesi added an eighth-inning RBI single.

Tampa Bay went up 1-0 on Joey Wendle’s RBI double in the first before the Royals tied it during the second when third baseman Daniel Robertson was charged with an error for an errant throw on a slow roller by Hamilton.

Both Hamilton (first base) and Terrance Gore (third base) were both tagged out during rundowns on the same play to end the second with Whit Merrifield batting.

Merrifield homered leading off the third.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: 3B Hunter Dozier (lower back) was out of the lineup for the second straight game but could start Friday.

Rays: RHP Hunter Wood was transferred from the paternity list to the family emergency list and may rejoin the team Friday. Manager Kevin Cash said Wood’s baby was born premature but is fine and being monitored. … Wendle was hit by a Jake Diekman pitch in the sixth and left with a fractured right wrist.

UP NEXT

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy (left shoulder) will make his first start of the season Friday night against the Los Angeles Angels.

Rays: RHP Charlie Morton (2-0) will start Friday night at the Boston. The Rays were swept in a three-game series by the Red Sox last weekend.

— Associated Press —

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Jalen Beeks took over from opener Ryne Stanek in the second and struck out seven in 4 2/3 shutout innings, Mike Zunino homered for the second straight game and the Tampa Bay Rays beat Kansas City 5-2 Tuesday night, sending the Royals to their fifth straight loss.

Homer Bailey (2-2) failed in his attempt to win three straight starts for the first time in five years, getting taken out after Tampa Bay’s first four batters reached in the second inning.

Zunino had three of Tampa Bay’s seven hits and drove in two runs.

AL East-leading Tampa Bay clinched its seventh series win in eight series and extended its winning streak against the Royals to 10 games. Kansas City is an AL-worst 7-17.

Beeks (1-0) allowed two hits and two walks, retiring eight straight in one stretch.

Emilio Pagan struck out two in a perfect ninth for his second save in two nights, the first two saves of his major league career, completing a six-hitter.

Bailey (2-2) gave up four runs, three hits and four walks in one inning-plus, his ERA rising to 5.63. Bailey, who went 1-14 last year, was coming off his first consecutive winning starts since July 2017.

Joey Wendle hit a two-run single in the first, ending an 0-for-16 start.

Zunino hit an RBI single in the second, when Jake Newberry entered with the bases loaded and allowed Brandon Lowe’s run-scoring single and Yandy Diaz’s sacrifice fly that boosted the Rays’ lead to 4-0. Zunino homered off Tim Hill in the sixth.

Martin Maldonado hit his first homer for the Royals, a seventh-inning drive off Austin Pruitt, who threw a run-scoring wild pitch in the eighth.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: 3B Hunter Dozier did not play, a day after leaving a game due to back spasms. … LHP Brian Flynn (sprained left elbow) is to start an injury rehabilitation assignment Wednesday at Triple-A Omaha.

Rays: 1B Ji-Man Choi was placed on the restricted list because of a personal matter.

UP NEXT

LHP Blake Snell (2-1) will make his first start in 10 days for the Rays in the finale of a nine-game homestand. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner missed a start after fracturing his right fourth toe attempting to move a decorative display in a bathroom on April 14. RHP Jakob Junis (1-2) starts the finale of the Royals’ 10-game trip.

— Associated Press —

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Mike Zunino’s first home run for the Tampa Bay Rays was one to remember.

The veteran catcher was reinstated from the paternity list, three days after the birth of his first child, and hit a two-run shot that helped the AL East leaders stop a season-high four-game skid with a 6-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Monday night.

“Man, I didn’t promise that, but I’ll definitely take it,” Zunino said. “You know, that was a very special moment in life and my baseball career. It’s something I’ll never forget.”

Yandy Diaz, Brandon Lowe and Daniel Robertson also drove in runs for the Rays, who scored three times in the seventh to come from behind against Brad Keller (2-2).

It’s the ninth time this season the Royals, who have the AL’s worst record, have lost after holding a lead in the sixth inning or later.

“That’s a pesky offensive outfit over there. They give you good at-bats,” Kansas City manager Ned Yost said. “But going into the seventh, we had the lead. We just couldn’t hold it.”

Pitching while appealing a five-game suspension for his role in a benches-clearing fracas with the Chicago White Sox last week, Keller held the Rays in check until giving up Robertson’s tying RBI grounder and Zunino’s homer to straight away center in the seventh.

Zunino, obtained from Seattle in an offseason trade, missed three games while on the paternity list for the birth of his son, Rhett Michael, last Friday.

“That’s got to be pretty special. I’m a big fan of Rhett Zunino right now. That’s something he’s going to be able to talk about for a long time. Awesome,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “The way it came, and how big a hit it was at the time is even more impactful.”

The Rays, coming off being swept by the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox over the weekend, are 4-5 over their last nine games following an 11-3 start.

“We had a tough weekend and things were not looking good up until the sixth,” Cash said. “The guys really did a good job of just grinding out at-bats. We smoked some balls early on but had absolutely nothing to show for it, and that can be pretty demoralizing. … But they kept at it and keep putting pressure on, and finally something broke.”

Keller allowed five runs and seven hits over 6 1/3 innings in his first outing since hitting Chicago’s Tim Anderson with a pitch two innings after the AL’s leading hitter emphatically spiked his bat to celebrate a homer, sparking last Wednesday’s melee that led to his suspension.

“I felt really good for the first six and I felt good going out for the seventh,” Keller said, adding that ultimately he left too many pitches over the middle of the plate.

Alex Gordon, Hunter Dozier and Jorge Soler hit solo homers for the Royals, who have lost four straight.

Gordon and Dozier went deep for the second straight game, with Gordon connecting off Rays starter Yonny Chirinos in the first inning and Dozier giving the Royals a 3-1 lead in the sixth. Soler’s solo shot snapped a fifth-inning tie.

Wilmer Font (1-0) struck out the only batter he faced to get the win. Emilio Pagan pitched a perfect ninth for his first career save.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Dozier, who started at designated hitter, was removed from the game in the eighth inning because of right lower back spasms and soreness and is day to day. … LHP Danny Duffy (left shoulder impingement syndrome) is expected to rejoin the rotation Friday night. “He’s been one of our better starters over the last couple years, and when he’s healthy we know what type of pitcher he is,” Yost said.

Rays: RF Austin Meadows, who’s on the injured list with a sprained right thumb, will be shut down for 10 days and hopes he will be ready to return in three to four weeks. “Let the swelling go down and after that see where we’re at,” Meadows said.

ON THE MEND

Rays LHP Blake Snell (fractured right fourth toe) had a light mound session totaling eight pitches in advance of an upcoming full bullpen. The 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner did not take part in defensive drills with the other pitchers. Snell was hurt moving a decorative stand in the bathroom of his home on April 14.

UP NEXT

Royals RHP Homer Bailey (2-1, 4.30 ERA) will start the middle date of a three-game series. Opener Ryne Stanek (0-0, 1.46) will take the mound first for the Rays.

— Associated Press —