KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Lorenzo Cain and Jarrod Dyson homered and Alcides Escobar stroked four hits as the Kansas City Royals held on to beat the skidding Tampa Bay Rays 9-7 Wednesday night.
The victory, however, may have been costly for the Royals as All-Star left fielder Alex Gordon was carted from the field in the fourth inning with a left groin injury. He was taken for an MRI to determine the severity of the injury.
Rays right-hander Chris Archer (9-6), who was a candidate to start the All-Star Game, had his worst outing of his career, giving up a career-high nine runs and 12 hits in six innings. Archer entered the game 6-0 with a 0.77 ERA in seven road starts this season. He had allowed three or fewer earned runs in a club-record 20 straight road starts.
The Royals, however, tattooed him. Center fielder Cain drove in three runs, hitting a two-run homer in the fourth over the center-field wall.
Dyson’s home run, his first since June 25, 2014, was inside-the-park. When Rays left fielder David DeJesus failed after a dive to catch Dyson’s low liner in the sixth, the ball rolled to the warning track as he sped around the bases.
Escobar’s four hits, all singles, was his fifth career four-hit game and the first this season. Two Escobar hits caromed off Archer’s body in the first and fifth innings.
The Rays lost for the 10th time in 11 games and fell below .500.
Right-hander Jeremy Guthrie (7-5) picked up the victory after a shaky first inning. Guthrie went six-plus innings, allowing four runs, three earned, on eight hits and four walks.
Both clubs had an inside-the-park home run. The last time that occurred was May 26, 1997 — Sammy Sosa, Cubs, and Tony Womack, Pirates.
Rays catcher Rene Rivera clubbed three hits, including a home run in a three-run ninth off Joe Blanton, who gave up two more hits and failed to finish the inning.
Greg Holland was summoned to get the final two outs and pick up his 17th save in 19 opportunities, but not before giving up a two-run single to third baseman Evan Longoria. Holland struck out pinch hitter Grady Sizemore to end the game with Rays on second and third base.
Gordon left in the fourth inning when straining his left groin while running into the outfield wall in pursuit of Rays second baseman Logan Forsythe’s fly. Gordon lay on the warning track while Forsythe circled the bases.
Archer, who gave up only four earned runs in 46 2/3 innings during seven previous road starts, yielded seven runs in the first five innings Wednesday.
Cain, who sat out the previous two games with a tender hamstring, homered in the third with Escobar aboard. Cain’s infield single in a five-run fifth scored third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert.
The Royals batted around in the big fifth, which also included a two-run double by designated hitter Kendrys Morales. First baseman Eric Hosmer and catcher Salvador Perez delivered run-producing singles in the inning. All the runs scored after two out, and Kansas City took a 7-3 lead.
NOTES: The Rays designated LHP Everett Teaford for assignment and reinstated RHP Andrew Bellatti from the disabled list. … The Royals optioned LHP Brandon Finnegan, who picked up the win in the second game of the doubleheader Tuesday, to Triple-A Omaha. RHP Aaron Brooks, who was the 26th man for the doubleheader, remained on the roster. … Royals LHP Jason Vargas threw 60 pitches in a simulated game Wednesday. He will make a rehab start Monday for Double-A Northwest Arkansas. … Rays rookie RHP Nathan Karns and Royals RHP Yordano Ventura, who will come off the DL, will start the Thursday series finale.