ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Brandon Lowe drove in three runs with a pinch-hit triple during Tampa Bay's four-run seventh inning, and the Rays stopped Kansas City's eight-game win streak with a 4-1 victory over the Royals on Sunday.
The Rays had lost a season-high six straight.
“To get a win that way, to show up in those high stress situations, it feels good and I feel like it really ignites everybody around it," Lowe said.
Kansas City's Michael Wacha (4-5) lost his perfect-game bid in the sixth, and was pulled after Harold Ramírez singled and Isaac Paredes had a double to start the seventh. John Schreiber then hit Randy Arozarena and permitted a fielder’s choice grounder before Lowe delivered on the first pitch he saw.
It was Lowe's second hit in 17 at-bats since returning from a strained right oblique.
Garrett Cleavinger (4-0) got three outs for the win, and Pete Fairbanks handled the ninth for his fifth save in six chances.
Batting with the bases loaded, Bobby Witt Jr. bounced to second for the final out of the game.
“It was a good ballgame," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “Really well pitched game. They came up with a big hit when they needed it, and we fought back and just came up a little bit short.”
Wacha retired his first 15 batters on 54 pitches before José Caballero grounded a leadoff double down the third base line in the sixth. After a strikeout and grounder, Yandy Díaz drew a 10-pitch walk before Wacha struck out Jonny DeLuca to complete a 33-pitch inning.
“Those are always tough decisions," Quatraro said about sending Wacha back out for the seventh. "Some of them work. Some of them don’t. That one stings because it didn’t.”
Witt extended his hitting streak to nine games and put the Royals up 1-0 on a sixth-inning homer off Rays reliever Shawn Armstrong. He has homered four times in his last five games.
Witt was thrown out by Arozarena when he tried to score from second in the eighth on Salvador Perez’s one-out single to left.
“Look, we don’t get an out right there that rally just keeps going,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said.
Tampa Bay’s Taj Bradley allowed Adam Frazier’s opposite-field flare single to left in the second and walked three over five innings. After a pair of two-out walks in the fifth, the right-hander fanned Maikel Garcia for his sixth strikeout on his season-high 95th pitch.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Royals: OF Kyle Isbel has a small nose fracture to go with facial lacerations after fouling a ball off his face Saturday, but he avoided going on the 10-day injured list. “He’s very fortunate because the ball grazed the bat, grazed the helmet and (then) hit him,” Quatraro said. “But nothing that needs any time other than just the swelling to go down and get him back out there.” ... INF Michael Massey (lower back sprain) went on the 10-day IL.
Rays: Opening-day starter Zach Eflin (lower back inflammation) has resumed playing catch.
UP NEXT
Royals: RHP Alec Marsh (4-1, 2.72 ERA) and Minnesota RHP Joe Ryan (3-3, 3.15 ERA) are Monday’s starters.
Rays: RHP Zack Littell (2-2, 3.42 ERA) is scheduled to start on Tuesday night against Oakland.