The Royals scored five runs in the first inning and cruised to a 7-3 win over the Devil Rays. Raul Ibanez, Desi Relaford, and Mike DiFelice drove in runs to get Kansas City out to a 3-0 lead. Julios Matos stepped up with a two-run single to make it 5-0 Royals. In the fourth, Matos struck again with a solo home run to give Kansas City a 6-0 lead and Ibanez made it 7-0 with a single. Aubrey Huff was responsible for all three of the Devil Rays’ runs with an RBI double in the fourth inning and a two run double in the sixth. On the mound, Runelvys Hernandez lasted seven innings and allowed three runs, but improved to 7-4 on the season. Jeremy Affeldt allowed a run in the eighth and Al Levine was perfect in the ninth to close out the win. Kansas City has a half-game lead over the White Sox in the A.L. Central. The Royals open a three game series against the Yankees at Kauffman Stadium tonight.
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