Royals’ disappointing loss to Rays included KC’s hottest hitter snapping streak
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Junior Caminero hit a two-run first-inning homer in the Rays’ 4-0 win.
- Shane McClanahan pitched six scoreless innings and recorded four strikeouts.
- Royals have dropped six of their last nine games; Rays won the season series.
Tampa Bay Rays star Junior Caminero is arguably the hottest player in baseball at the moment.
On Wednesday, he bested the Kansas City Royals once again. In the first inning, Caminero hit a two-run homer off Royals starter Seth Lugo. It was his sixth consecutive game with at least one home run.
“The first pitch just wasn’t executed the way he wanted,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “You know, he wanted a sinker down and away, and it got back over the middle of the plate.”
Caminero began his hot stretch last week against the Royals. On June 25, Caminero hit two home runs off Lugo at Tropicana Field. He later added a third homer — this time against Royals infielder Tyler Tolbert — in the Rays victory.
The Royals kept Wednesday’s game a bit closer. However, the KC offense didn’t provide Lugo with any run support in the 4-0 shutout loss.
“I made sure to locate my breaking balls better,” Lugo said of his start. “I think that’s what really killed me that last start. So, you know, executing breaking balls, that definitely helped tonight.”
Rays left-handed starter Shane McClanahan silenced the Royals’ offense. He tossed six scoreless innings and recorded four strikeouts.
And unlike Lugo, McClanahan fared better in his second start against the Royals. On June 23, McClanahan allowed six runs — including three homers — in a losing effort.
He did a better job limiting the damage Wednesday. The southpaw relied on his changeup to record 33 swings and seven whiffs, per Baseball Savant. He used the off-speed pitch primarily against a KC lineup loaded with right-handed bats.
“I think he mixed in more off-speed,” Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. said. “I didn’t play the last game, but just mixed in more off-speed. And just located at times. I think we hit a couple of balls (hard) at people.”
When he needed it, McClanahan relied on his defense. The Royals grounded into two inning-ending double plays in the second and fourth.
McClanahan improved to 7-5. He threw 49 of 69 pitches for strikes before departing in the prior to the seventh inning.
The Royals had two runners aboard in the ninth, but couldn’t scratch a run across the plate.
“It’s never a lack of effort, that’s for sure,” Royals outfielder Jac Caglianone said of the club’s offense. “These guys in here, they bust their tail every day. I see it and everybody sees it. Just stinks not to be able to get anything going there in your last effort.”
The Royals neutralized Caminero after his first at-bat. He struck out three times to conclude his night at the plate. However, Rays outfielder Cedric Mullins added key insurance runs in the sixth and eighth innings.
In the sixth, Mullins hit an 80.3 mph sweeper left atop the strike zone. The baseball traveled 387 feet into the right-field bullpen.
It was Mullins’ ninth homer of the season. Meanwhile, Tampa recorded 11 hits against the KC pitching staff. Taylor Walls recorded three hits while Chandler Simpson added a double and a single.
However, both players were also thrown out on the basepaths. Royals catcher Carter Jensen made a pair of strong throws to assist Lugo on the mound.
“Really good throws,” Quatraro said. “The execution was good. The pitches were in good spots to throw. Good tags from Bobby as well.”
Offensively, Jensen didn’t log a hit. And his MLB-leading 20-game hitting streak was snapped after an 0-for-4 effort.
The Royals have dropped six of their last nine games. Additionally, the Rays won the season series with Wednesday’s victory.
“It’s been a lot of frustration with everything that’s going on,” Witt said. “Just with how we’re playing and just how things are going. And where we are at in this position. Because go to spring training, go to the first month of the year, go to a couple of months in. It’s like we’re way better than this. So it’s really frustrating.”
What’s next: Royals right-hander Stephen Kolek (4-2, 4.15 ERA) is expected to start Thursday night at Kauffman Stadium. He will return from the Family Medical Emergency List to pitch in the series finale set for 6:40 p.m. Central.
This story was originally published July 1, 2026 at 9:16 PM.
