TAMPA, Fla. — — Bobby Witt Jr. homered to extend his hitting streak to 22 games and had three RBI, Seth Lugo pitched solid six innings and the Kansas City Royals earned a three-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays with an 8-2 victory on Thursday.
Vinnie Pasquantino had a single, a double and two RBI for the Royals, who have won nine of their past 10.
Lugo (3-3) gave up two runs and five hits with five strikeouts.
Salvador Perez (hip soreness) left the game in the seventh inning. The 34-year-old catcher was in the lineup at designated hitter, replaced behind the plate by Freddie Fermin. Perez hit an RBI double in the fifth and Fermin had a double, a single and scored twice.
Right-hander Michael Wacha (1-3, 3.38 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound on Friday in the first of a three-game series in Baltimore at 6:05.