Jose Siri homers twice as Rays down Royals in Game 1

Jose Siri homered twice in support of six strong innings from Tyler Glasnow as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the host Kansas City Royals, 6-1, in the first game of a split doubleheader on Saturday.

Siri opened the scoring, driving the first pitch of the third inning into the left field bullpen for his team-leading 17th home run. Siri also capped the scoring with a 410-foot drive to center in the ninth for his second career multi-homer game. The Rays are 13-4 when Siri homers.

Glasnow (3-3) surrendered one run on six hits and two walks, fanning seven over six innings to collect his first win since June 14. He's struck out at least six in each of his nine starts.

Mired in a 1-for-21 slump, Francisco Mejia gave Tampa Bay a 2-0 lead with two out in the fifth, hitting his fourth homer down the right field line.

In the bottom half of the inning, Bobby Witt Jr. hit his 15th homer 424 feet to center, cutting the deficit to 2-1. Salvador Perez followed with a fan-interference double, his 500th career extra-base hit, but was stranded when Glasnow struck out Kyle Isbel to end the threat.

Perez also added three singles for his 11th career four-hit game and first of the season as he broke out of a 4-for-43 slump dating to June 24.

Royals starter Alec Marsh (0-3) struck out a career-best 11 over six innings, allowing two runs on five hits and one walk.

Opening the eighth inning, reliever Collin Snider missed with 13 straight pitches to load the bases before Luke Raley's single plated two runs and Josh Lowe brought in another with a sacrifice fly for a 5-1 advantage.

Tampa Bay relievers Jason Adam and Javy Guerra shut out the Royals over the final three frames as Kansas City managed just one single over the final four innings.

The Rays have won back-to-back games after losing seven straight prior to the All-Star break.