TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Royals left-hander Noah Cameron took a no-hitter into the seventh inning in his major league debut and Vinnie Pasquantino homered as Kansas City blanked the Tampa Bay Rays 3-0 on Wednesday night.
Cameron, who grew up in the Kansas City area, shut out the Rays over 6 1/3 innings until Curtis Mead ended an 0-for-16 slump with a one-out single down the left-field line. Recalled from Triple-A Omaha prior to the start, Cameron (1-0) allowed one hit and five walks while striking out three. He threw 79 pitches with 46 strikes.
Carlos Estévez stranded two in the ninth for his ninth save.
Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr. wasted no time extending his hitting streak to 21 games. He singled in the first inning, then scored on Pasquantino’s fourth homer of the year. Playing in his 500th major league game, Witt also reached 1,000 total bases with his fifth-inning single that scored Cavan Biggio.
Salvador Perez, Maikel Garcia and Kyle Isbel each had two hits for the Royals, who’ve won eight of nine.
Drew Rasmussen (1-2) gave up three runs and six hits in five innings for the Rays, who’ve lost seven of their last eight at Steinbrenner Field, their temporary home.
Key moment
Pasquantino launched a first-pitch fastball, Rasmussen’s 10th pitch, to right-center to give Kansas City a 2-0 lead. The Royals have outscored opponents 17-2 in the first inning this season, including 3-0 against the Rays.
Key stat
A Royals pitcher hasn’t thrown a no-hitter since Bret Saberhagen on Aug. 26, 1991, a span of 5,244 games. Only Cleveland and Toronto have gone longer without one.
Up next
Seth Lugo (2-3, 3.08 ERA) takes the mound as Kansas City looks to sweep the series. The Rays will counter with Shane Baz (3-0, 2.45).
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