Dixie bracket: 2019 Rays defeat 2019 Royals in six games

Game One: Rays 4, Royals 0
WP: Morton (1-0)
LP: Junis (0-1)
HR: A Garcia (1)

Game Two: Rays 6, Royals 1
WP: Snell (1-0)
LP: Duffy (0-1)
HR: Sogard 2 (2), Meadows (1), d'Arnard (1)

Game Three: Royals 4, Rays 2
WP: Keller (1-0)
LP: Yarbourgh (0-1)
HR: Dozier (1), Choi (1), Wendle (1)

Game Four: Rays 11, Royals 7 (10 innings)
WP: Drake (1-0)
LP: Kennedy (0-1)
HR: Choi (2), Meadows (2), O'Hearn (1), Merrifield (1)

Game Five: Royals 5, Rays 3
WP: Junis (1-1)
LP: Morton (1-1)
Save: Kennedy (1)
HR: Soler (1), Lowe (1)

Game Six: Rays 4, Royals 0
WP: Snell (2-0)
LP: Duffy (0-2)
HR: Sogard (3)

The Tampa Bay Rays opened and closed the series with multi-pitcher shutouts, and in between generally stifled the Kansas City lineup.

Charlie Morton allowed a single to the second hitter he faced in the Tropicana Field opener. That was the only safety the Royals got all game. Ryne Stanek pitched the seventh and Oliver Drake the eighth and ninth innings for Tampa Bay. Morton walked one and struck out nine. Austin Meadows singled in two runs and also doubled and scored.

Eric Sogard hit a pair of solo homers in Game Two, the first one leading off the game, to give Blake Snell plenty of support. Meadows hit a three-run homer in the eighth to open up the margin. Snell left in the sixth inning having allowed three hits. Four Rays relievers allowed one hit apiece.

The series shifted to Kaufmann Stadium in Kansas City, and Brad Keller did unto the Rays as Morton and Snell had to the Royals: 7.2 scoreless innings with five hits allowed. Ryan Yarborough threw five scoreless innings but left after consecutive doubles by Aldaberto Mondesi and Whit Merrifield to open the sixth. Hunter Dozier hit a three-run homer in the eighth, and solo homers by Ji-Man Choi and Joey Wendle in the ninth weren't enough.

Tampa Bay trotted out the opener strategy in Game Four. Colin Poche gave up a homer in the first to Merrifield, then gave way to Yonny Chirinos, who allowed two runs in five-plus innings. But Stanek didn't retire any of the three men he faced in the eighth, and the game was tied after that frame. Meadows hit his second three-run homer of the series in the 10th, this one off Kansas City closer Ian Kennedy, and Oliver Drake threw two scoreless innings for the win.

The Royals forced the series back to Tampa Bay by beating Morton in Game Five. Jorge Soler hit a three-run homer in the third; he also doubled and scored in the eighth. Jakob Junis gave up a pair of runs in the first but followed with five scoreless innings to get the win.

Snell allowed three hits in seven innings in Game Six, while Sogard again led off the game with a homer off Danny Duffy. Meadows doubled and scored in Tampa Bay's two-run fourth, and Diego Castillo and Emilio Pagan each faced the minimum three batters in the eighth and ninth to wrap up the series.

Player availability: With two days off, Tampa Bay's bullpen will be rested for the second round.

Projected rotation: Morton-Yarbourgh(?)-Chirinos(?)-Snell-(Morton)-(Yarbourgh)-(Chirinos). Openers are possible in the Yarbourgh and Chrinos "starts"