KANSAS CITY -- Michael Wacha was visibly frustrated after leaving a two-strike changeup in the middle of the plate for Isaac Parades in the first inning Wednesday night. On the pitch, Parades hammered a solo home run out to the left-field corner.

Wacha shook his head as Parades rounded the bases, no doubt upset at himself for leaving a pitch middle-middle to give the Rays an early one-run lead.

But Wacha hardly let it rattle him -- and didn’t let it happen again. That was the only run the starter allowed across six innings, leading the Royals to a 4-2 win over the Rays at Kauffman Stadium and setting up a rubber match for the Fourth of July on Thursday.

Wacha allowed just two hits Wednesday, working around three walks with eight strikeouts. On his 97th and final pitch, with two outs and a runner on first in the sixth inning, Wacha struck out Josh Lowe swinging on a cutter, which Wacha relied on heavily throughout his start.

Wacha pounded his glove, leaving the mound. No frustration there – just another quality start logged. It was Wacha’s sixth quality start of the year and the Royals’ sixth in the nine games during this homestand.

The Royals’ offense gave Wacha the lead in the third when Bobby Witt Jr. knocked a game-tying double and Vinnie Pasquantino brought him home with a single, the first baseman’s eighth RBI in his last nine games.

Kansas City scored two needed insurance runs in the seventh, with Maikel Garcia and Witt scoring on Salvador Perez’s bloop two-run single. And they received a phenomenal catch from Kyle Isbel in center field in the ninth inning, holding onto the ball at the wall to save at least a run.