Austin Meadows had a home run and a triple, driving in four runs, as the host Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Kansas City Royals 7-2 on Thursday afternoon in St. Petersburg, Fla.

The Rays claimed the three-game series two games to one.

The Rays erased any drama early in the game. They had more runs (seven) through four innings than the teams combined to score (six) in the first two games of the series.

Shane McClanahan (2-0) kept the Royals off-balance with a mixture of high-90s fastballs and mid-80s off-speed pitches. He allowed just three hits through five innings, striking out six without a walk.

Kansas City's Brady Singer (2-4) was ineffective from the start. He gave up six runs on four hits in 2 2/3 innings.

Both starting pitchers were first-round selections in the 2018 draft. Singer was the Royals' first of four first-round picks, the 18th overall. McClanahan was the second of three for the Rays, the 31st overall.

The game did not start well for Singer, who was pitching in his home state for the first time. He allowed his first three first-inning runs this season. With one out, Singer hit a batter and walked the next. Meadows then tripled to the gap in right center, the Rays' first extra-base hit of the series.

Meadows then scored on a fielder's choice when Adalberto Mondesi's throw to the plate was late. The three runs matched the total number of runs Tampa Bay had scored in the first two games combined.

Meadows roughed up Singer again in the third. He hit an 0-1 pitch deep into the seats in right field, scoring Brandon Lowe. After Meadows' blast, Joey Wendle doubled off the top of the wall in left center. He scored on an RBI single by Taylor Walls, and Singer's day was done.

The Rays got their seventh run on a sacrifice fly by Randy Arozarena in the fourth.

Michael Wacha relieved McClanahan in the sixth and promptly gave up a two-run home run to Ryan O'Hearn.

--Field Level Media