Lee Maye hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning, giving the Washington Senators a lead they would not relinquish as they downed the Royals, 4-2, at Municipal Stadium.

Maye’s home run was his sixth of the year. It came against Royals starter Wally Bunker, who did not allow a hit after the second inning until that seventh inning. With one out in the seventh, Del Unser tripled ahead of the Maye home run.

That was the second home run Bunker allowed in the game, as Ed Stroud started the scoring with a leadoff home run in the second inning. The Senators had two singles after that but Bunker escaped further damage when Maye lined out to end the inning.

Kansas City took the lead in the third inning against Senators starter Jim Hannan. Paul Schaal singled with two outs, which was the Royals’ first hit of the game. Ed Kirkpatrick followed with a home run, his second in two days. However, Hannan would not allow any more hits before giving way to reliever Dennis Higgins following the sixth inning.

Washington added an insurance run in the eighth, as Paul Casanova led off with a double. Two bunts brought him home, with Unser’s squeeze bunt scoring the run.

Higgins pitched the final three innings, striking out three and holding the Royals to three singles, one in each inning.

With the loss, the Royals fell to 51-72. They were now tied for third in the AL West with California, 22.5 games behind Minnesota.

Box score and play-by-play: https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/KCA/KCA196908230.shtml

Today’s birthdays: Mike Boddicker (1957), Ed Hearn (1960), Allen McDill (1971)