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Kansas City Royals sweep Tampa Bay Rays in doubleheader

By The Sports Xchange

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Alex Gordon had seven hits for the day, while Alcides Escobar had the biggest hit in the nightcap.

Escobar hit a three-run double to break a sixth-inning tie, and left fielder Gordon went 4-for-5 and drove in four runs, lifting the Kansas City Royals to a 7-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night and a doubleheader sweep.

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Gordon went 7-for-9, including a solo homer in the first game, with six RBIs in the two games. He raised his average 18 points to .280. It was his 10th career four-hit game and his first since May 18, 2014, against Baltimore.

Paulo Orlando hit a walk-off, ninth-inning grand slam in the day game Tuesday as the Royals won 9-5. Orlando, who was recalled Monday from Triple-A Omaha, drove a 1-0 Brad Boxberger changeup into the Royals' bullpen. It was the Royals' third walk-off victory in four games after having none before Friday.

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"We got that first walk-off out of our way, now we're kinda rolling with it," Royals closer Greg Holland said.

A walk-off was unnecessary in the finale.

In the second game, the score was tied at 1 when Escobar came to the plate in the sixth with second baseman Omar Infante on third, third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert on second and center fielder Jarrod Dyson on first.

Escobar fell behind in the count to right-hander Brandon Gomes 0-2 and fouled off five pitches with two strikes, working the count full. The shortstop then punched a 91 mph fastball down the left-field line to score all three runners.

"That was worth the price of admission," Royals manager Ned Yost said of Escobar's 11-pitch at-bat.

Gordon singled home Escobar with the final run of the inning as the Royals batted around. The left fielder added a two-run double in the eighth.

Gomes (1-4) walked a batter and hit a batter to set up Escobar's clutch double. He allowed four runs in two-thirds of an inning.

Rookie left-hander Brandon Finnegan (2-0) worked 1 1/3 hitless innings, walking one, to pick up the victory.

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The Rays failed to get a hit in four innings off relievers Finnegan, Luke Hochevar and Ryan Madson.

Royals right-hander Edinson Volquez gave up doubles to designated hitter John Jaso to lead off the first and to second baseman Logan Forsythe to start the second, but the Blue Jays failed to advance them.

Volquez struck out the side in the second as the Jays went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, stranding eight, after going 1-for-10 with men in scoring position in the opener.

"A long day, a tough day," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "We just didn't get it done. We had some opportunities to get some guys closer in scoring position, to move them and we did not capitalize on those opportunities. We had a couple of leadoff doubles and weren't able to get them to third. We've got to be better than that."

Jaso made sure the Rays got on the board in the third when he ripped a 93 mph Volquez fastball over the right-field fence, but it turned out to be the lone Rays run. It was Jaso's third hit in as many at-bats this season after missing 87 days with a left wrist injury.

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The Royals tied it in the fifth. Dyson walked with one out and promptly stole second, his 10th swipe in 11 attempts. Gordon singled into shallow center to get Dyson home.

Tampa Bay right-hander Matt Andriese, who was brought up from Triple-A Durham as the 26th man for the doubleheader, did not make it out of the fifth. After he walked designated hitter Kendrys Morales, left-hander Everett Teaford was summoned to face first baseman Eric Hosmer and retired him a comebacker.

Andriese wound up charged with one run in 4 2/3 innings.

"I thought Matt Andriese was outstanding," Cash said. "To fly in this morning from Durham and give us what he gave us was really nice."

Matt Moore, who started the first game, was not nearly as sharp as the other Matt for the Rays. Moore, who was making his second start of the season after having Tommy John surgery on April 22, 2014, was removed after 85 pitches and 4 1/3 innings. He faced 24 batters and 13 reached base -- nine hits, two walks and two hit batters. He has an 8.00 ERA in his two starts, both no-decisions.

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"It was just a weird day," Moore said. "I was happy with the stuff I had today. They're an aggressive squad and falling behind is probably the last thing you want to do and that's what I did. I was behind too much."

Volquez was pulled after five innings and 101 pitches, He allowed one run on five hits while striking out five and walking three.

The Rays have lost nine of 12 and 13 of 16 to fall below .500. The Royals are 48-33 at the midpoint, their best record after 81 games since 1980.

NOTES: The Rays placed rookie OF Steven Souza Jr. on the disabled list with a right little finger laceration. C/DH/1B John Jaso, who went on the disabled list after the first game with left wrist contusion, was reinstated. He singled as a pinch hitter in the seventh in the opener and started the second game as the DH and contributed a double and homer in his first two at-bats. ... The Rays designated RHP Preston Guilmet for assignment. ... Royals 3B Cheslor Cuthbert singled in the third inning of the opener for his first major league hit in his debut. ... Rays RHP Chris Archer and Royals RHP Jeremy Guthrie are the pitching probables for Wednesday. ... Royals LHP Jason Vargas was scheduled to throw a 60-pitch simulated game Tuesday, but that was put off until Wednesday because of the day-night doubleheader. ... Royals All-Star CF Lorenzo Cain was held out of both games because of a tender hamstring.

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