KANSAS CITY -- Lorenzo Cain knocked in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, and Eric Hosmer followed with a three-run blast into the Party Deck at Kauffman Stadium as the streaking Royals won their fourth straight game in the late innings, this time 6-2 over the Rays on Monday.
The Royals now lead the American League Central by 1 1/2 games over the Indians and by two games over the White Sox.
With the score tied 2-2 against Rays reliever Erasmo Ramirez, Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar singled and went to third on a perfectly-executed hit-and-run single to right from rookie Whit Merrifield.