KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Junior Caminero homered for the fifth straight game, a three-run shot that highlighted a six-run second inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays rolled from there to a 10-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.
Caminero, the reigning AL player of the week, announced earlier in the day that he would participate in the All-Star Home Run Derby after finishing second to the Mariners' Cal Raleigh last year. Then, the 22-year-old third baseman crushed a pitch from Noah Cameron over the left-field wall for his 23rd homer of the season and the eighth in his last seven games.
Ryan Vilade added a homer of his own on the very next pitch, giving Tampa Bay hitters 13 of them in their last five games. Nick Fortes also drove in a pair of runs while Jonathan Aranda had an RBI single and reached base four times.
Rays starter Griffin Jax (4-5) allowed a leadoff homer to Carter Jensen and a two-run shot to Bobby Witt Jr., but still made it through six innings. The right-hander struck out five without a walk to beat the Royals for the second time in a week.
Witt added a solo homer in the eighth inning off Rays reliever Cole Sulser for his seventh career multi-homer game. Jensen's homer extended his hitting streak to 20 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the majors.
Cameron (4-6), who gave up five runs in five innings against Tampa Bay last week, allowed six on nine hits and three walks in 3 2/3 innings this time. The left-hander has allowed 21 earned runs over his last four starts covering just 18 innings.
The AL East-leading Rays improved to a majors-best 19-7 against left-handed starters this season.