Shane Baz dominates as Rays blank Royals again

Shane Baz did not allow a run over a career-high eight innings to lead the visiting Tampa Bay Rays to a 4-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday to complete a three-game sweep.

Baz (8-3) gave up a double to the Royals' Jonathan India to begin his outing then retired the next 19 batters he faced as Kansas City's offensive struggles continued.

Baz, who entered Thursday with a 4.79 ERA, allowed three hits and a walk with nine strikeouts to earn his fifth straight win without a loss over his last seven starts.

Kansas City was shut out for the second straight game and saw their losing streak reach five games. The Royals have scored only four total runs during the skid.

India and Vinnie Pasquantino both went 2-for-4 for Kansas City.

Josh Lowe went 3-for-4 with an RBI, and Brandon Lowe extended his hitting streak to 13 games as the Rays won for the fifth time in their last six games.

Royals starter Michael Lorenzen (4-8) allowed just one Rays batter to reach base during the first three innings. Tampa Bay was finally able to put some offense together after Lorenzen retired the first two batters he faced in the fourth.

Jonathan Aranda laced a double to the right-center gap and scored on Jake Mangum's triple to nearly the same location. Josh Lowe followed with a single up the middle to make it 2-0.

Brandon Lowe and Junior Caminero hit back-to-back home runs off Lorenzen to start the sixth. Lowe's homer gave him his second 13-game hitting streak of the season.

Lorenzen went 5 2/3 innings and gave up eight hits to go with the four runs. He struck out four and walked none.

Baz cruised into the seventh inning until Pasquantino's one-out infield single to third base. Maikel Garcia followed with another single, but Baz escaped by getting Nick Loftin to ground into a double play.

India singled off Paul Gervase to start the ninth, and one out later Pasquantino bunted for a single. Pete Fairbanks entered and got Garcia to ground into a double play for his 15th save.