ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Michael Massey's sacrifice fly in the 10th inning lifted Kansas City to a 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night, ending the Royals' four-game skid.
Massey drove in automatic runner Michael A. Taylor, who had moved up to third on a groundball.
Scott Barlow (5-4) got the win in relief with help from catcher Salvador Perez, who threw out Roman Quinn on an attempted steal of third in the 10th. MJ Melendez, who had thrown out Taylor Walls attempting to stretch a single into a double for the first out in the 10th, ended the game with a diving catch of Francisco Mejia's sinking liner in left field.
Jalen Beeks (2-3) took the loss for the Rays, who have won five of seven and are in position for an AL wild card.
Bobby Witt's 16th home run put the Royals up 2-0 in the third against Rays starter Shane McClanahan. But Kansas City got only one other runner as far as second base until Taylor started the 10th there.
Witt's homer came after a walk to Melendez and was the first of only two hits McClanahan allowed in seven innings. McClanahan walked three and struck out eight.
Royals starter Brady Singer gave up two runs on five hits and four walks in six innings, striking out seven.
Randy Arozarena drove in Tampa Bay's first runs with a two-out single in the sixth after hits by David Peralta and Harold Ramirez.
Singer picked Ramirez off second base with two out and the bases loaded in the third.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rays: OF Manuel Margot, out since June 21 with a right patellar tendon strain, is eligible to come off the 60-day injured list Saturday. ... RHP J.P. Feyereisen, who last pitched on June 2 due to a right shoulder impingement, said he hopes to return in September. ... Tampa Bay selected RHP Kevin Herget from Triple-A Durham and optioned RHP Luis Patiño to Durham.
UP NEXT
RHP Drew Rasmussen (7-4, 2.80 ERA), who took a perfect game into the ninth inning against Baltimore on Sunday, will start Saturday for the Rays against LHP Kris Bubic (2-7, 5.11).
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