All-Star power: Escobar, Gordon fuel Royals

KANSAS CITY -- Even with the verdict already in, Royals All-Stars keep on making their cases for candidacy.

Shortstop Alcides Escobar and left fielder Alex Gordon, each voted as starters for the All-Star Game by fans, were both instrumental in the Royals' 7-1 win over the Rays on Tuesday in the nightcap of day-night doubleheader at Kauffman Stadium.

In the sixth inning, Escobar battled Rays reliever Brandon Gomes for 10 pitches -- strike, strike, ball, ball, foul, foul, foul, ball, foul, foul -- before driving one up the left-field line for a bases-clearing double that pushed Kansas City ahead, 4-1.

"When I go over there, no one is going to say 11 pitches, just looking for one good pitch," Escobar said. "That's the best at-bat right now for me in the entire season."

Added manager Ned Yost: "For me, it was worth the price of admission. I mean, I don't know what else to say. That was worth the ticket price alone to see that at-bat."

Escobar then scored in the next at-bat on Gordon's second RBI single of the game to make it 5-1.

Video: TB@KC: Gordon goes 4-for-5 with four RBIs vs. Rays

Gordon added a two-run double deep to left in the eighth inning, which was the 10th time in his career that he recorded four hits in a game. Adding his three hits from Game 1, Gordon also set a career high for hits in a single day with seven.

Video: TB@KC: Gordon gets seven hits in Royals doubleheader

"I just felt comfortable, my swing felt more loose today, a lot more freer," said Gordon, who was plunked on the right hand earlier in the day in the Royals' 9-5 walk-off win, but X-rays came back negative. "I was just seeing the ball a lot better, letting it get deep and driving the ball the other way, which I feel like I haven't been doing as much this year."

Gordon finished the nightcap 4-for-5 with four RBIs, while Escobar went 2-for-4 with another single in the eighth and three RBIs.