Freddy Fermin has 3 hits, Michael Lorenzen pitches 6 strong innings as Royals beat Rays 3-1

TAMPA, Fla. - Freddy Fermin had three hits and an RBI, Kyle Isbel and Salvador Perez each drove in a run and Michael Lorenzen pitched six strong innings for his 50th career win as the Kansas City Royals beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 on Tuesday night.

Perez’s two-out double drove in Jonathan India in the first. One inning later, Fermin poked a single to right that allowed Drew Walters to advance from first to third, setting up Isbel’s sacrifice fly.

Fermin, who nearly left the game in the seventh after fouling a pitch off his hands, singled home Maikel Garcia to give Kansas City a two-run cushion in the ninth.

TAMPA, FLORIDA - APRIL 29: Taj Bradley #45 of the Tampa Bay Rays pitches in the third inning against the Kansas City Royals at George M. Steinbrenner Field on April 29, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

Lorenzen (3-3) halted the Rays’ five-game winning streak, his only blemish a solo homer to Junior Caminero in the fourth. After the homer, Lorenzen retired nine of his final 11 before three Kansas City relievers combined to shut out the Rays over the final three innings.

Carlos Estévez earned his eighth save.

Caminero fell a triple shy of the cycle, going 3 for 4 with an RBI for the Rays, who’ve dropped six of their last seven at Steinbrenner Field.

Rays starter Taj Bradley (2-2) gave up two runs and five hits in seven innings, walking three and striking out two.