Hunter Dozier’s two-out RBI single in the seventh inning broke a tie score and put the Kansas City Royals in front for good as they clinched a series victory to start the post All-Star break portion of their schedule.
Dozier’s hit gave the Royals a one-run lead, and they tacked on an insurance on an MJ Melendez RBI double in the eighth inning on their way to a 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays in front of an announced 12,336 in the finale of a three-game set at Kauffman Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Royals rookie shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. left the game with a hamstring injury after he registered a hit, an RBI and a stolen base in the first inning. Nicky Lopez came off the bench, took over at shortstop and recorded two hits including his second triple of the season.
Whit Merrifield (2 for 5, two runs scored), Michael A. Taylor (2 for 4, two runs scored), Emmanuel Rivera (2 for 4) and Dozier (2 for 4) also had two hits apiece.
Royals starting pitcher Kris Bubic (2-6) allowed two runs on four hits and three walks in his second consecutive outing of seven innings.
During the seventh-inning stretch, a video of Negro Leagues and Kansas City baseball icon Buck O’Neil singing Take Me Out To The Ballgame was shown on the Crown Vision board. O’Neil, who died in 2006 at 94, was enshrined on Sunday afternoon in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
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