Royals rip Snell, Rays for sweep of twin bill
Kelvin Gutierrez hit his first big league homer, Kansas City pounded AL Cy Young winner Blake Snell for the second time in a week, and the Royals routed the Tampa Bay Rays 8-2 on Wednesday to wrap up a doubleheader sweep.
In the opener, Adalberto Mondesi hit a two-run homer to highlight a threerun first inning for Kansas City, and Jacob Junis and the bullpen held on the rest of the way for a 3-2 victory.
Snell was easily outpitched by Glenn Sparkman (1-1), who was recalled from Triple-A Omaha and earned his first career win. Sparkman had allowed three runs in three relief appearances this season, but he shut down a club coming off the most wins by the end of April (19) in Rays history.
Sparkman pitched seven innings of three-hit ball, striking out six with just one walk.
Billy Hamilton chased Snell (2-3) with an RBI single in the fourth, the third straight batter to reach to start the inning. By the time all three scored, Snell had allowed seven runs on six hits and three walks in his second start since a 10-day layoff for a broken toe.
It was the first time the Royals swept a doubleheader since July 7, 2015, when a team that would reach its second straight World Series also accomplished the feat against the Rays.
Red Sox 7, Athletics 3: Mitch Moreland homered and drove in another run on a sacrifice fly after a lucky hop off the second base bag moved the runners along and host Boston beat Oakland to complete a three-game sweep for the previously struggling World Series champions.
Orioles 5, White Sox 4: Jonathan Villar hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly, and Baltimore stopped a four-game slide by rallying for a close victory over host Chicago in the opener of a doubleheader. Richie Martin opened the eighth inning with a triple into the right-field corner off Kelvin Herrera (0-1).
Villar then hit a fly ball to center, and Martin scored easily when Adam Engel’s throw landed up the third base line.