Lorenzo Cain and Jarrod Dyson hit two-run homers, Alcides Escobar had four hits and the Kansas City Royals pounded Rays All-Star Chris Archer before holding off Tampa Bay 9-7 on Wednesday night.
The Royals lost All-Star outfielder Alex Gordon to a strained groin in the fourth inning. He was hurt on Logan Forsythe’s inside-the-park homer.
Dyson countered with an inside-the-park homer two innings later. It was the first time there were two in one game since the Cubs’ Sammy Sosa and Pirates’ Tony Womack did it on May 26, 1997.
Tampa Bay, swept in a doubleheader Tuesday, fell for the 10th time in 11 games.
Jeremy Guthrie (7-5) got the win. Joe Blanton gave up three runs in the ninth before Greg Holland got the final two outs, stranding runners on second and third, to earn his 17th save.
Archer (9-6) allowed a career-high nine runs on 11 hits over six innings.
