Royals' Gordon notches seven hits in double-header sweep of Rays
Tuesday was anything but boring, for one team, at least.
The Kansas City Royals took two games off the Tampa Bay Rays in a rescheduled double-header from the day before, and it included a little bit of everything.
Theatrics, drama, and Gatorade showers were all on the menu. But no one expected what Alex Gordon brought to the table. In the day game, the Royals' left fielder led the offense, going 3-for-4 with a solo homer and two RBIs.
| Game 1 - Inning | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | Single |
| 2 | Hit By Pitch |
| 4 | Home Run |
| 7 | Single |
| 8 | Fly Out |
That said, it was almost all for naught. Closer Greg Holland blew the save in the ninth, setting the stage for his club to do the improbable - walk off for a third consecutive game.
Sure enough, 29-year-old rookie Paulo Orlando stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded for the first time in his career. With the score knotted at five, he delivered a walk-off grand slam to take the first game 9-5.
Related: Royals' Orlando blasts walk-off grand slam
The nightcap game wasn't as close, a 7-1 win for the Royals, but once again Gordon stole the show in a big way.
| Game 2 - Inning | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ground Out |
| 3 | Single |
| 5 | Single |
| 6 | Single |
| 8 | Double |
If three hits wasn't enough mere hours earlier, Gordon one-upped himself, going 4-for-5 with a double, four RBIs and seven hits on the day. That's right, Gordon went 7-for-9, tying the Royals franchise record for hits in a double-header.
With the wins, the Royals extended their first place lead in the AL Central to 4 1/2 games, while moving to 22-18 on the road.