Cain, Hosmer, Morales power Royals past Rays

[June 01, 2016]  KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City middle of the lineup did the damage, but the Royals are facing another player injury.

Lorenzo Cain, Eric Hosmer and Kendrys Morales -- the Kansas City 3-4-5 hitters -- combined to drive in nine runs as the Royals topped the Tampa Bay Rays 10-5 on Tuesday night.

Cain homered and drove in four runs. Hosmer had three hits and drove in a pair of runs. Morales hit a two-run homer in the sixth and singled in another run in the five-run fourth. The three combined to go 7-for-14 with a walk and scored five runs.

Dillon Gee (2-2) was the beneficiary of the offensive splurge, although he was anything but sharp. Gee was charged with four runs on nine hits and a walk.

"Gee was just grinding through," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "The offense gave him enough runs."

Left-hander Drew Smyly (2-7) took the loss, giving up eight runs on a dozen hits, including Cain's home run.

"They just keep coming at you," Smyly said. "They put the ball in play and make stuff happen."

Royals rookie outfielder Brett Eibner was carted off the field in the fifth inning with a left medial ankle strain, while chasing a Brad Miller triple, one of his three hits. Eibner will have a MRI, but Yost acknowledged it looks he will be headed for the disabled list. Eibner, who doubled to lead off the big fourth, is hitting .462 in his first four big league games.

Mike Moustakas, Alex Gordon and Salvador Perez -- three All-Stars -- are already out with injuries.

"Just deal with it," Yost said of all the injuries.

Rays right-handed reliever Brad Boxberger left in the sixth inning after 16 pitches with a strained left side. It was his first appearance of the year after coming off the disabled list Monday.

"Probably a couple of pitches before the last pitch," Boxberger said he felt discomfort. "I know (after) the last pitch I wasn't able to go any more. That's where I am right now."

He hit Paulo Orlando with a pitch and then threw three balls to Jarrod Dyson before walking off with a trainer.

"That's probably the first time I felt it and it got worse," Boxberger said of the pitch to Orlando. "There wasn't anything that was going to get better on it, so I had to come out at that point."

Royals closer Wade Davis was needed to get the final two outs after the Rays scored a run in the ninth and had the bases loaded off rookie Scott Alexander. Davis picked up his 15th save.

Corey Dickerson drove in four runs for the Rays, hitting a three-run homer in the second and hitting an RBI single in the ninth, which led to Alexander being pulled.

Cain homered in the first with White Merrifield aboard. Merrifield, who singled, has hit in his first 10 career starts, which is a Royals record.

Royals designated hitter Kendrys Morales (25) is congratulated by first baseman Eric Hosmer (35) after hitting a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the sixth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Kansas City won 10-5. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

Gee could not hold the 2-0 lead for long. The Rays began the second with Logan Morrison and Steven Souza Jr. singling. Dickerson got them home with a 408-foot homer to center. It was Dickerson's fourth hit in seven at-bats, including two home runs, off Gee.

In the bottom of the inning, the Royals ran themselves out of a potential run. With two out, Cheslor Cuthbert singled. Drew Butera doubled to right and third baseman Mike Jirschele put up the stop sign for Cuthbert, but Butera rounded second and headed for third. Cuthbert wound up being trapped in a web and was out 9-4-2-6-1-5-2 for those scoring at home.

The Royals tied it at 3 in the third. With one out, Merrifield doubled, his sixth multi-hit game, and the Rays opted to intentionally walk Cain. That set up a matchup of Smyly against Hosmer. The strategy backfired. On the first pitch, Hosmer laced a single to left, scoring Merrifield. It was the eighth straight game Merrifield has scored a run.

The Royals batted around in a five-run fourth, which included a Cain two-run single and a Hosmer run-producing double.

NOTES: Royals 3B Mike Moustakas will be examined Wednesday by Dr. James Andrews in Florida for a second opinion of his right anterior cruciate ligament tear. Surgery appears imminent. ... Rays 2B Steve Pearce, who exited after seven innings Monday with right elbow discomfort, was back in the lineup. ... Royals LHP Mike Minor is battling shoulder fatigue and has been removed from his minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha. He returned to Kansas City to be checked out by the training staff. ... The Rays have started a pitcher under the age of 30 for 286 consecutive games, the longest streak in the majors. ... Rays RHP Chris Archer and Royals LHP Danny Duffy are the pitching probables for the series finale on Wednesday.

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