KANSAS CITY, Mo. — At first look, the extended All-Star break didn’t have the effect the Rays hoped for of putting a charge back into their offense.
They didn’t show much in Saturday’s opening game of a day-night doubleheader, though it was enough to beat the struggling Royals, 6-1.
The Rays got two solo homers from Jose Siri and one from Francisco Mejia, and took advantage of a rough three-walk inning from reliever Collin Snider to add three in the eighth.
The win improved the Rays’ American League-leading record to 59-35 and ensured they will maintain their lead in the East division, as they started the day 1 1/2 games ahead of the Orioles.
The Rays took the lead in the third, when Siri led off with a homer, his team-leading 17th of the season, against Royals starter Alec Marsh.
The Rays didn’t do much else — and had five straight batters strike out — until there were two down in the fifth, and No. 9 hitter Mejia homered.
Glasnow gave one run right back when he allowed a two-out homer to Bobby Witt Jr. and was a couple feet from allowing another, as Salvador Perez’s drive to left field was touched by a fan reaching over the wall and ruled a double.
Glasnow kept the lead by striking out Kyle Isbel, getting him on a check swing at a curve that bounced.
The Rays, who struck out 13 times overall, created some room in the eighth — with help from Snider, who started his outing throwing 13 consecutive balls.
That was enough to load the bases, as Brandon Lowe, Wander Franco and Randy Arozarena all took four-pitch free passes. Then Luke Raley made it count, pulling a single past first that scored two.
Josh Lowe followed with a fly to shallow left that Arozarena hustled into another run.
Siri homered again in the ninth.
Glasnow, whose last start was cut a bit short by cramping in his hands and legs, gave the Rays a solid six innings, allowing the one run on six hits, walking two and striking out seven.
The teams were playing a doubleheader Saturday after Friday’s game was postponed due to high winds and heavy rain.
