On Saturday, Jordan Lyles of the Kansas City Royals ended a 15-game winless streak as the Royals defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 9-4. This marked their second victory in three days against the team with the best record in the majors.
Lyles, who had a smile on his face after the game, pitched six innings, allowing four runs and eight hits. It was his first win since September 30 of last year when he was playing for the Baltimore Orioles.
The Royals’ offense was boosted by home runs from Drew Waters, Freddy Fermín, and Edward Olivares. Lyles retired his final eight batters before Carlos Hernández and Nick Wittgren provided solid relief.
The Rays, who have been struggling recently, managed to score four runs, including a solo home run by shortstop Wander Franco, who returned to the lineup after being benched for two games.
Kansas City staged a comeback, with Waters hitting his third home run in three days and Fermin adding a three-run homer during a four-run fourth inning. The Royals’ strong offensive performance helped them secure the victory.
Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash acknowledged the Royals’ strong performance and credited them for putting pressure on his team.
In terms of injuries, Royals catcher Salvador Pérez, who left Friday’s game with a hamstring cramp, served as the designated hitter but went hitless. Meanwhile, Rays ace Shane McClanahan had his next start pushed back due to mid-back tightness.
The upcoming matchup was set to feature Royals left-handed pitcher Daniel Lynch against Rays right-handed pitcher Tyler Glasnow on Sunday.
