KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Junior Caminero homered for the fifth straight game, a three-run shot that highlighted a six-run second inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays rolled from there to a 10-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.
Caminero, the reigning AL player of the week, announced earlier in the day that he would after finishing second to the Mariners’ Cal Raleigh last year. Then, the 22-year-old third baseman crushed a pitch from Noah Cameron over the left-field wall for his 23rd homer of the season and the eighth in his last seven games.
Ryan Vilade added a homer of his own on the very next pitch, giving Tampa Bay hitters 13 of them in their last five games. Nick Fortes also drove in a pair of runs while Jonathan Aranda had an RBI single and reached base four times.
Rays starter Griffin Jax (4-5) allowed a leadoff homer to Carter Jensen and a two-run shot to Bobby Witt Jr., but still made it through six innings. The right-hander struck out five without a walk to beat the Royals for the second time in a week.
Witt added a solo homer in the eighth inning off Rays reliever Cole Sulser for his seventh career multi-homer game. Jensen’s homer extended his hitting streak to 20 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the majors.
Cameron (4-6), who gave up five runs in five innings against Tampa Bay last week, allowed six on nine hits and three walks in 3 2/3 innings this time. The left-hander has allowed 21 earned runs over his last four starts covering just 18 innings.
The AL East-leading Rays improved to a majors-best 19-7 against left-handed starters this season.
Up next
Rays LHP Shane McLanahan (6-5, 3.30 ERA) will try to snap a three-game skid when he makes his fourth career start against Kansas City on Wednesday night. Royals RHP Seth Lugo (3-5, 4.18) will try to bounce back from a dismal start last week against Tampa Bay, when he allowed seven runs on seven hits and two walks in just five innings.
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