Despite their best efforts to make a game of it in the eighth, the Kansas City Royals comeback fell just short as the team lost both the game, 5-3, and the series to the Tampa Bay Rays Wednesday.
Manager Ned Yost tried to light a fire under his team in the top of the eight, getting ejected for arguing balls and strikes but the team could still only muster up two runs in the inning off a Alcides Escobar RBI triple followed by Alex Gordon bringing home the shortstop with a RBI single of his own.
The Rays would get one of the runs back in the bottom of the eight when Jose Libaton would homer off Aaron Crow.
James Shields chipped in a quality start for the Rays (7.2 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 7 K, 1 BB) while Luis Mendoza did exactly the opposite, allowing nine base runners in his 4.1 innings of work. Jeff Francoeur got Mendoza the lead early when his single scored Salvador Perez in the second but the Rays would answer with two runs in the third and never relinquish the lead again.
The Royals (55-68) now have Thursday off before heading to Boston for a four game series. Bruce Chen (9-10) will look to build off his last solid start against the White Sox against a Red Sox pitcher that has still yet to be determined.
For more Royals news, head on over to Royals Review.