06/30/26 09:29:00
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06/30 21:27 CDT Junior Caminero homers for the 5th straight game as the Rays
beat the Royals 10-4 in series opener
Junior Caminero homers for the 5th straight game as the Rays beat the Royals
10-4 in series opener
By DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) --- Junior Caminero homered for the fifth straight game,
a three-run shot that highlighted a six-run second inning, and the Tampa Bay
Rays rolled from there to a 10-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday
night.
Caminero, the reigning AL player of the week, announced earlier in the day that
he would participate in the All-Star Home Run Derby after finishing second to
the Mariners' Cal Raleigh last year. Then, the 22-year-old third baseman
crushed a pitch from Noah Cameron over the left-field wall for his 23rd homer
of the season and the eighth in his last seven games.
Ryan Vilade added a homer of his own on the very next pitch, giving Tampa Bay
hitters 13 of them in their last five games. Nick Fortes also drove in a pair
of runs while Jonathan Aranda had an RBI single and reached base four times.
Rays starter Griffin Jax (4-5) allowed a leadoff homer to Carter Jensen and a
two-run shot to Bobby Witt Jr., but still made it through six innings. The
right-hander struck out five without a walk to beat the Royals for the second
time in a week.
Witt added a solo homer in the eighth inning off Rays reliever Cole Sulser for
his seventh career multi-homer game. Jensen's homer extended his hitting streak
to 20 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the majors.
Cameron (4-6), who gave up five runs in five innings against Tampa Bay last
week, allowed six on nine hits and three walks in 3 2/3 innings this time. The
left-hander has allowed 21 earned runs over his last four starts covering just
18 innings.
The AL East-leading Rays improved to a majors-best 19-7 against left-handed
starters this season.
Up next
Rays LHP Shane McLanahan (6-5, 3.30 ERA) will try to snap a three-game skid
when he makes his fourth career start against Kansas City on Wednesday night.
Royals RHP Seth Lugo (3-5, 4.18) will try to bounce back from a dismal start
last week against Tampa Bay, when he allowed seven runs on seven hits and two
walks in just five innings.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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