Royals extend winning streak to seven games with 8-1 victory at Tampa Bay Rays

The Kansas City Royals on Friday trailed for the first time in 54 innings.

It didn’t last long.

The Royals rebounded quickly against the Tampa Bay Rays and cruised to a 8-1 victory at Tropicana Field.

With the win, KC improved to 33-19 and extended its winning streak to seven games. The Royals have scored eight or more runs in five consecutive games, which ties the franchise record.

“They have just been relentless,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “Some of it’s been early in the game and we expanded later. Some of it has been consistent throughout the game. I think that’s a testament to the guys up and down the order not giving up, giving good at-bats and passing the baton to the next guy.”

Royals starter Seth Lugo shook off early trouble. In the first inning, the Rays loaded the bases as designated hitter Jonathan Aranda collected a fielder’s-choice RBI.

The Rays’ lead was short lived. Lugo silenced the Tampa Bay offense throughout the rest of his start. He allowed four hits, two walks and registered three strikeouts in seven innings.

“I thought it went OK,” Lugo said. “I felt like I had to battle tonight as I didn’t feel like I had my best stuff. But, you know, I stayed in the zone, got some contact and defense played great behind me.”

Lugo earned his eighth victory this season. And the Royals supplied him with enough offense to keep their momentum rolling.

The Royals hit two home runs in the game. In the fifth, Royals second baseman Michael Massey hit a three-run homer off Rays reliever Tyler Alexander.

Massey drove a 77.9-mph sweeper over the right-field wall. It was his sixth homer as the Royals took a 5-1 lead.

“After Massey hit that homer, it allowed me to stay on the attack and put some pressure on their offense,” Lugo said.

Alexander took the loss. He allowed 11 hits and eight runs in five innings.

Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. provided additional insurance late. Witt recorded his eighth home run with a solo blast off Alexander.

“The guys put really good at-bats together,” Quatraro said.

After Witt’s at-bat, Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino was hit by a pitch. The umpires huddled and issued warnings to both teams.

Still, the Royals remained unfazed. A few batters later, Royals catcher Freddy Fermin hit an RBI double to seal the series-opening victory.

“It’s awesome to see all the guys setting the tone and moving the line,” Witt said. “It was great and a lot of fun.”

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Here are more notables from Friday’s game:

Michael Massey exits with injury

Massey left Friday’s game with lower back tightness. He was replaced at second base by Royals utility man Garrett Hampson.

“I just had some back tightness there throughout the game,” Massey said. “It was getting pretty tight there at the end. I came out and tried to get some treatment done. Hopefully, it loosens up a little bit.”

Hampson started the game in center field before shifting to second. According to Quatraro, the Royals removed Massey for precautionary reasons.

“It’s the same thing, low back tightness, that he has dealt with,” Quatraro said. “We don’t think it’s very serious. We just wanted to be cautious there and get him out.”

Massey, who was 2 for 3 on the night, has dealt with back issues this season. He missed the start of the 2024 campaign due to a lower back strain.

“I’ve had this a lot so we have a pretty good experience with it,” Massey said. “Kind of know when we need to go and when we need to pull the plugs. Got in there early, got some treatment done and we will see from there.”

In his last 21 games, Massey has recorded 21 RBIs. He finished the Royals previous homestand batting .500 (9 for 18) during the stretch.

What’s next on the KC Royals’ schedule

The Royals continue their series with the Rays. On Saturday, Royals right-hander Brady Singer is scheduled to start against Rays veteran hurler Aaron Civale.

Singer will be seeking his fifth victory against the Rays. This season, he owns a 2.70 ERA through 10 starts.