GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: AL: TAMPA BAY (33-51) at KANSAS CITY (36-49)

AL: TAMPA BAY at KANSAS CITY

<div class="pre">AL AT KANSAS CITY - PITCHING CHANGE
TAM: GARY GLOVER (3-3, 5.23) STARTING THE 9TH
CURRENT SCORE: TAMPA BAY 6, KANSAS CITY 4

DUE UP FOR KANSASCITY: J BUCK (.241, 0-FOR-3)</div>

 

AL: TAMPA BAY at KANSAS CITY

<div class="pre">AL AT KANSAS CITY - MID INNING UPDATE
PLAY: G Glover relieved J Witasick.
SITUATION: 0 RUNS IN, NONE ON, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: TAMPA BAY 6
KANSAS CITY 4 BOTTOM, 9TH

DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: J Buck (.241, 0-FOR-3)</div>

 

AL: TAMPA BAY at KANSAS CITY

<div class="pre">AL AT KANSAS CITY - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY JOHN BUCK (15) TO LEFT WITH 0 OUT IN THE
9TH OFF GARY GLOVER.
CURRENT SCORE: TAMPA BAY 6, KANSAS CITY 5

DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: J GATHRIGHT (.317, 1-FOR-3, RBI)</div>

 

AL: TAMPA BAY at KANSAS CITY

<div class="pre">AL FINAL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
TAMPA BAY 2 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 6 15 0
KANSAS CITY 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 5 10 1 (FINAL)

BATTERIES: TAM - JAMES SHIELDS, CASEY FOSSUM (8TH), JAY WITASICK (8TH), GARY
GLOVER (9TH) AND RAUL CASANOVA

KAN - ODALIS PEREZ, JOEL PERALTA (7TH), NEAL MUSSER
(8TH), JOAKIM SORIA (9TH) AND JOHN BUCK

HOME RUNS: TAM - NONE

KAN - JOHN BUCK (15) OFF GARY GLOVER IN THE 9TH, 0 ON</div>

 

AL: TAMPA BAY at KANSAS CITY

<div class="pre">AL FINAL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
TAMPA BAY 2 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 6 15 0
KANSAS CITY 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 5 10 1 (FINAL)

BATTERIES: TAM - JAMES SHIELDS, CASEY FOSSUM (8TH), JAY WITASICK (8TH), GARY
GLOVER (9TH) AND RAUL CASANOVA

KAN - ODALIS PEREZ, JOEL PERALTA (7TH), NEAL MUSSER
(8TH), JOAKIM SORIA (9TH) AND JOHN BUCK


WP - JAMES SHIELDS (7-4)
LP - ODALIS PEREZ (4-8)
SAVE - GARY GLOVER (1)

HOME RUNS: TAM - NONE

KAN - JOHN BUCK (15) OFF GARY GLOVER IN THE 9TH, 0 ON


TIME: 3:08 ATT: 18,753

PROBABLES: TAM - ANDY SONNANSTINE (1-3, 5.63)
KAN - JOHN THOMSON (1-1, 3.37)</div>

 

AL: TAMPA BAY at KANSAS CITY

<div class="pre">TAMPA BAY (6) VS KANSAS CITY (5) - FINAL

TAMPA BAY ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
A Iwamura 3b 5 1 2 0 0 0 0 .297
C Crawford lf 4 2 2 0 1 1 1 .288
B Harris ss 4 2 2 2 0 1 1 .308
T Wigginton 2b 5 0 2 0 0 1 1 .272
D Young cf 5 0 3 2 0 1 4 .280
C Pena 1b 4 0 2 1 1 0 3 .287
J Gomes rf 5 1 2 0 0 2 6 .254
J Cantu dh 4 0 0 0 0 2 1 .211
R Casanova c 3 0 0 1 0 1 1 .275

Totals 39 6 15 6 2 9 18

BATTING: 2B - A Iwamura (11, O Perez); C Crawford (21, O Perez); D Young 2 (19,
O Perez, J Peralta). S - B Harris. SF - R Casanova. RBI - B Harris 2 (38), C
Pena (50), D Young 2 (47), R Casanova (8). 2-out RBI - C Pena, D Young 2.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - C Pena 2, J Gomes 3. GIDP - R
Casanova. Team LOB - 10.

BASERUNNING: SB - C Crawford (22, 2nd base off O Perez/J Buck), J Gomes (3,
2nd base off O Perez/J Buck), B Harris (3, 2nd base off J Peralta/J Buck).


KANSAS CITY ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
D DeJesus cf 5 0 0 0 0 2 1 .284
M Grudzielanek 2b 4 1 1 0 0 0 1 .267
M Teahen rf 3 0 0 1 0 2 2 .285
R Gload 1b 4 1 1 1 0 0 1 .252
A Gordon 3b 4 1 3 1 0 1 0 .235
B Butler dh 4 0 1 0 0 2 2 .273
J Buck c 4 1 1 1 0 0 2 .245
J Gathright lf 4 0 2 1 0 0 1 .328
T Pena Jr ss 4 1 1 0 0 0 2 .275

Totals 36 5 10 5 0 7 12

BATTING: 2B - J Gathright (4, J Shields); T Pena Jr (12, J Shields); R Gload
(6, J Shields). HR - J Buck (15, 9th inning off G Glover 0 on, 0 Out). SF - M
Teahen. RBI - J Gathright (8), M Teahen (43), R Gload (20), A Gordon (25), J
Buck (29). 2-out RBI - J Gathright, R Gload, A Gordon. Runners left in scoring
position, 2 out - J Gathright 1, T Pena Jr 1, B Butler 1. Team LOB - 6.

FIELDING: E - J Buck (6, throw). DP: 1 (T Pena Jr-M Grudzielanek-R Gload).


----------------------------------------------------
TAMPA BAY - 201 011 100 -- 6
KANSAS CITY - 010 000 031 -- 5
----------------------------------------------------

TAMPA BAY ip h r er bb so hr era
J Shields (W, 7-4) 7 2/3 7 4 4 0 6 0 3.82
C Fossum (H, 4) 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 7.17
J Witasick (H, 4) 1/3 0 0 0 0 1 0 3.70
G Glover (S, 1) 1 2 1 1 0 0 1 5.32

KANSAS CITY ip h r er bb so hr era
O Perez (L, 4-8) 6 10 5 5 1 4 0 5.68
J Peralta 1 2 1 1 1 0 0 3.64
N Musser 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 5.40
J Soria 1 2 0 0 0 3 0 2.21

C Fossum pitched to 1 batter in the 8th.

WP - J Shields 2. IBB - C Pena (by J Peralta). HBP - M Grudzielanek (by J
Shields). Pitches-strikes: J Shields 106-73; C Fossum 2-2; J Witasick 4-3; G
Glover 20-14; O Perez 81-56; J Peralta 25-13; N Musser 21-12; J Soria 26-18.
Ground balls-fly balls: J Shields 9-8; C Fossum 0-0; J Witasick 0-0; G Glover
0-3; O Perez 9-5; J Peralta 2-1; N Musser 0-1; J Soria 0-0. Batters faced: J
Shields 31; C Fossum 1; J Witasick 1; G Glover 5; O Perez 28; J Peralta 6; N
Musser 4; J Soria 5.

UMPIRES: HP--Tom Hallion. 1B--James Hoye. 2B--Scott Barry. 3B--Phil Cuzzi.
EJECTIONS: KANSAS CITY's Bell by Hallion (9th).
T--3:08. Att--18,753.
Weather: 90 degrees, clear. Wind: 0 mph, n/a.</div>

 

AL: TAMPA BAY at KANSAS CITY

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
AL
TAMPA BAY 6
KANSAS CITY 5 FINAL</div>

 

Devil Rays end 11-game skid

<h3>TAMPA BAY 6, KANSAS CITY 5</h3>KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- The streak is over.

The Tampa Devil Rays snapped an 11-game losing streak, the longestin the majors leagues this season, riding the pitching of JamesShields to a 6-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Fridaynight.

Shields (7-4), who was 0-4 in his past four starts afterbeginning the season 6-0, held the Royals to four runs on sevenhits in 7 2/3 innings to pick up his first win since June 9.

He struck out six and walked none in improving to 2-0 againstthe Royals this season and is 3-0 in three career starts.

While the Devil Rays ended their losing skid, it did not comeeasy as the Royals rallied with a three-run eighth.

Mark Teahen drove in Tony Pena Jr. with a sacrifice fly and RossGload doubled home Mark Grudzielanek, who was hit by a pitch,to chase Shields. Alex Gordon singled home Gload before JayWitasick, the third Tampa Bay pitcher of the inning, struck outBilly Butler to end the threat.

John Buck belted a leadoff homer off Gary Glover in the ninth topull the Royals within 6-5. It was Buck's 15th homer, whichleads all American League catchers.

Former Devil Ray Joey Gathright then beat out an infield singlebut Glover came back to retire the next three batters for hisfirst save.

The Devil Rays' offense featured 15 hits, as the first sevenbatters in the lineup had at least two apiece.

Delmon Young had three hits, including two doubles, and drove intwo runs while Brendan Harris also had two hits and two RBI.Young leads American League rookies with 47 RBI.

Tampa Bay sent seven men to the plate in the first inning andscored two runs on four hits off Royals left-hander OdalisPerez.

Akinori Iwamura led off the game with a double on the firstpitch and scored on Harris' single. Carlos Pena's two-outsingle scored Harris, bringing his RBI total to 50.

Perez (4-8) took the loss, giving up five runs on 10 hits and awalk in six innings. Perez is 2-6 in his past eight decisions.

The Royals trimmed the lead to 2-1 in the second when Gathrightdoubled to left to plate Alex Gordon, who led off the inningwith a single and moved to third on back-to-back wild pitches byShields.

The Devil Rays scored single runs in the fifth, sixth andseventh innings. Carl Crawford walked in the fifth, stolesecond (his 22nd steal), moved to third on catcher John Buck'sthrowing error and scored on Harris' single.

In the sixth, Jonny Gomes singled, stole second, moved to thirdon a groundout and scored on Raul Casanova's sacrifice fly.Young's double in the seventh scored Harris, upping the TampaBay lead to 6-1

 

AL: TAMPA BAY at KANSAS CITY

<div class="pre">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TAMPA BAY (6) AT KANSAS CITY (5) - HOW THEY SCORED
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TAMPA BAY 1ST: A Iwamura doubled to deep center. C Crawford grounded out
to first, A Iwamura to third. B Harris singled to right, A Iwamura scored.
T Wigginton singled to right center, B Harris to second. D Young flied out to
left. C Pena singled to right, B Harris scored, T Wigginton to third. J Gomes
struck out looking. (2 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors) TAMPA BAY 2, KANSAS CITY 0.

KANSAS CITY 2ND: A Gordon singled to center. B Butler struck out swinging.
A Gordon to second on wild pitch by J Shields. A Gordon to third on wild pitch
by J Shields. J Buck popped out to second. J Gathright doubled to left,
A Gordon scored. T Pena Jr flied out to left. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors)
TAMPA BAY 2, KANSAS CITY 1.

TAMPA BAY 3RD: C Crawford doubled to deep left. B Harris sacrificed to
pitcher, C Crawford to third. T Wigginton grounded out to third. D Young
doubled to right, C Crawford scored. C Pena grounded out to third. (1 Run,
2 Hits, 0 Errors) TAMPA BAY 3, KANSAS CITY 1.

TAMPA BAY 5TH: A Iwamura grounded out to pitcher. C Crawford walked.
C Crawford stole second, C Crawford safe at third on throwing error by catcher
J Buck. B Harris singled to center, C Crawford scored. T Wigginton singled to
left, B Harris to second. D Young struck out swinging. C Pena popped out to
third. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 1 Error) TAMPA BAY 4, KANSAS CITY 1.

TAMPA BAY 6TH: J Gomes singled to left. J Gomes stole second. J Cantu
grounded out to third, J Gomes to third. R Casanova hit sacrifice fly to left,
J Gomes scored. A Iwamura flied out to left. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors)
TAMPA BAY 5, KANSAS CITY 1.

TAMPA BAY 7TH: J Peralta relieved O Perez. C Crawford singled to center.
B Harris grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, C Crawford out at second.
B Harris stole second. T Wigginton grounded out to catcher, B Harris to third.
D Young doubled to deep center, B Harris scored. C Pena intentionally walked.
J Gomes flied out to left. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TAMPA BAY 6, KANSAS CITY 1.

KANSAS CITY 8TH: T Pena Jr doubled to deep center. D DeJesus grounded out
to second, T Pena Jr to third. M Grudzielanek hit by pitch. M Teahen hit
sacrifice fly to center, T Pena Jr scored. R Gload doubled to deep right
center, M Grudzielanek scored. C Fossum relieved J Shields. A Gordon singled
to center, R Gload scored, A Gordon to second advancing on throw. J Witasick
relieved C Fossum. B Butler struck out looking. (3 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors)
TAMPA BAY 6, KANSAS CITY 4.

KANSAS CITY 9TH: G Glover relieved J Witasick. J Buck homered to left.
J Gathright reached on infield single to shortstop. T Pena Jr flied out to
right. D DeJesus flied out to left. M Grudzielanek flied out to right.
(1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TAMPA BAY 6, KANSAS CITY 5.</div>

 

AL: TAMPA BAY at KANSAS CITY

<div class="pre">AL FINAL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
TAMPA BAY 2 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 6 15 0
KANSAS CITY 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 5 10 1 (FINAL)

BATTERIES: TAM - JAMES SHIELDS, CASEY FOSSUM (8TH), JAY WITASICK (8TH), GARY
GLOVER (9TH) AND RAUL CASANOVA

KAN - ODALIS PEREZ, JOEL PERALTA (7TH), NEAL MUSSER
(8TH), JOAKIM SORIA (9TH) AND JOHN BUCK


WP - JAMES SHIELDS (7-4)
LP - ODALIS PEREZ (4-8)
SAVE - GARY GLOVER (1)

HOME RUNS: TAM - NONE

KAN - JOHN BUCK (15) OFF GARY GLOVER IN THE 9TH, 0 ON


TIME: 3:08 ATT: 18,753

PROBABLES: TAM - ANDY SONNANSTINE (1-3, 5.63)
KAN - GIL MECHE (5-6, 3.26)</div>

 

AL: TAMPA BAY at KANSAS CITY

<div class="pre">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TAMPA BAY (6) AT KANSAS CITY (5) - EVENT LOG
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tampa Bay Starting Lineups -- A Iwamura 3B, C Crawford LF, B Harris SS,
T Wigginton 2B, D Young CF, C Pena 1B, J Gomes RF, J Cantu DH, R Casanova C,
J Shields RHP.

Kansas City Starting Lineups -- D DeJesus CF, M Grudzielanek 2B, M Teahen RF,
R Gload 1B, A Gordon 3B, B Butler DH, J Buck C, J Gathright LF, T Pena Jr SS,
O Perez LHP.

Umpires -- Tom Hallion (HP), James Hoye (1B), Scott Barry (2B), Phil Cuzzi (3B).

Gametime Weather: 90 degrees, Clear, wind n/a at 0 mph.


TAMPA BAY 1ST: A Iwamura doubled to deep center. C Crawford grounded out
to first, A Iwamura to third. B Harris singled to right, A Iwamura scored.
T Wigginton singled to right center, B Harris to second. D Young flied out to
left. C Pena singled to right, B Harris scored, T Wigginton to third. J Gomes
struck out looking. (2 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors) TAMPA BAY 2, KANSAS CITY 0.

KANSAS CITY 1ST: D DeJesus struck out swinging. M Grudzielanek singled to
left. M Teahen struck out swinging. R Gload grounded out to second. (0 Runs,
1 Hit, 0 Errors) TAMPA BAY 2, KANSAS CITY 0.

TAMPA BAY 2ND: J Cantu struck out swinging. R Casanova struck out swinging.
A Iwamura fouled out to third. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TAMPA BAY 2,
KANSAS CITY 0.

KANSAS CITY 2ND: A Gordon singled to center. B Butler struck out swinging.
A Gordon to second on wild pitch by J Shields. A Gordon to third on wild pitch
by J Shields. J Buck popped out to second. J Gathright doubled to left,
A Gordon scored. T Pena Jr flied out to left. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TAMPA BAY 2, KANSAS CITY 1.

TAMPA BAY 3RD: C Crawford doubled to deep left. B Harris sacrificed to
pitcher, C Crawford to third. T Wigginton grounded out to third. D Young
doubled to right, C Crawford scored. C Pena grounded out to third. (1 Run,
2 Hits, 0 Errors) TAMPA BAY 3, KANSAS CITY 1.

KANSAS CITY 3RD: D DeJesus struck out swinging. M Grudzielanek popped out
to second. M Teahen struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TAMPA BAY 3,
KANSAS CITY 1.

TAMPA BAY 4TH: J Gomes reached on infield single to pitcher. J Cantu
grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, J Gomes out at second. R Casanova
grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, J Cantu out at
second.(0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TAMPA BAY 3, KANSAS CITY 1.

KANSAS CITY 4TH: R Gload flied out to right. A Gordon struck out swinging.
B Butler singled to center. J Buck grounded into fielder's choice to third,
B Butler out at second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TAMPA BAY 3, KANSAS CITY 1.

TAMPA BAY 5TH: A Iwamura grounded out to pitcher. C Crawford walked.
C Crawford stole second, C Crawford safe at third on throwing error by catcher
J Buck. B Harris singled to center, C Crawford scored. T Wigginton singled to
left, B Harris to second. D Young struck out swinging. C Pena popped out to
third. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 1 Error) TAMPA BAY 4, KANSAS CITY 1.

KANSAS CITY 5TH: J Gathright grounded out to pitcher. T Pena Jr popped out
to first. D DeJesus grounded out to shortstop. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors)
TAMPA BAY 4, KANSAS CITY 1.

TAMPA BAY 6TH: J Gomes singled to left. J Gomes stole second. J Cantu
grounded out to third, J Gomes to third. R Casanova hit sacrifice fly to left,
J Gomes scored. A Iwamura flied out to left. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TAMPA BAY 5,
KANSAS CITY 1.

KANSAS CITY 6TH: M Grudzielanek flied out to left. M Teahen flied out to
left. R Gload grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TAMPA BAY 5,
KANSAS CITY 1.

TAMPA BAY 7TH: J Peralta relieved O Perez. C Crawford singled to center.
B Harris grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, C Crawford out at second.
B Harris stole second. T Wigginton grounded out to catcher, B Harris to third.
D Young doubled to deep center, B Harris scored. C Pena intentionally walked.
J Gomes flied out to left. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TAMPA BAY 6, KANSAS CITY 1.

KANSAS CITY 7TH: A Gordon singled to right. B Butler grounded out to
third, A Gordon to second. J Buck grounded out to shortstop, A Gordon to
third. J Gathright grounded out to pitcher. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TAMPA BAY 6,
KANSAS CITY 1.

TAMPA BAY 8TH: N Musser relieved J Peralta. J Cantu struck out swinging.
R Casanova popped out to first. A Iwamura singled to left. C Crawford struck
out swinging. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TAMPA BAY 6, KANSAS CITY 1.

KANSAS CITY 8TH: T Pena Jr doubled to deep center. D DeJesus grounded out
to second, T Pena Jr to third. M Grudzielanek hit by pitch. M Teahen hit
sacrifice fly to center, T Pena Jr scored. R Gload doubled to deep right
center, M Grudzielanek scored. C Fossum relieved J Shields. A Gordon singled
to center, R Gload scored, A Gordon to second advancing on throw. J Witasick
relieved C Fossum. B Butler struck out looking. (3 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors)
TAMPA BAY 6, KANSAS CITY 4.

TAMPA BAY 9TH: J Soria relieved N Musser. B Harris struck out swinging.
Kansas City's Manager B Bell ejected by T Hallion. T Wigginton struck out
swinging. D Young singled to left. C Pena singled to right, D Young to third.
J Gomes struck out looking. (0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TAMPA BAY 6, KANSAS CITY 4.

KANSAS CITY 9TH: G Glover relieved J Witasick. J Buck homered to left.
J Gathright reached on infield single to shortstop. T Pena Jr flied out to
right. D DeJesus flied out to left. M Grudzielanek flied out to right.
(1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TAMPA BAY 6, KANSAS CITY 5.</div>

 

Devil Rays end 11-game skid

<h3>TAMPA BAY 6, KANSAS CITY 5</h3>KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- The streak isover.

The Tampa Devil Rays snapped an 11-game losing streak, thelongest in the majors leagues this season, riding the pitchingof James Shields to a 6-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals onFriday night.

Shields (7-4), who was 0-4 in his past four starts afterbeginning the season 6-0, held the Royals to four runs on sevenhits in 7 2/3 innings to pick up his first win since June 9. Hestruck out six and walked none

"The monkey is off our back," Shields said. "An 11-game losingstreak is tough to swallow."

While the Devil Rays ended their losing skid, it did not comeeasy as the Royals rallied with four runs in the final twoinnings.

"We're hot," Devil Rays manager Joe Maddon said with a laughed."That the way things like that are supposed to end. It's neverby 15 to 1. It always a game like that, where you have to takeit right down to the nub and you win it and then you move on.

"A load is always lifted after you've lost 11 games and to sayotherwise would be total denial. No one ever wants to gothrough that. I think our guys handled it extremely well."

John Buck belted a leadoff homer off Gary Glover in the ninth topull the Royals within 6-5. It was Buck's 15th homer, whichleads all American League catchers.

Former Devil Ray Joey Gathright then beat out an infield singlebut Glover came back to retire the next three batters for hisfirst save.

"Even after I gave up the home run to Buck, which is kind ofweird, because I thought CC (Crawford) had it in his glove, so Igot excited," Glover said. "Then the crowd reacted again and Ilooked back, I was like, 'Oh no.' I was still calm. OnceGathright beat out that ball on the infield, I knew I was in alittle bit of a battle. That's when it kind of set in. I had toclear my mind to stay focused out there.

"Things were kind of entering in my head, how things were goingover the last week and a half. I didn't want to keep that thinggoing. A couple of times, I just stepped off the rubber toclear my head."

Glover fell behind in the count 3-1 to Tony Pena Jr. beforegetting him to fly out to Jonny Gomes.

"Luckily, it was a fly ball because had it been on the ground,Gathright was going and for sure he would have been on secondbase," Glover said. "That enters a whole new problem, wherejust a base hit would have scored him. Being able to keep himon first was a big thing."

Ending the long losing skid was even bigger.

"It definitely wasn't a cookie-cutter ninth inning, but afterthe third out a win is a win," said Gomes, who had two hits andscored a run. "It's good to come in here and see smiles onpeople's faces, get some pigment back in our skins. It is goodto have it over, hope we can get some wins here and lick ourwind during the All-Star break."

Shields improved to 2-0 against the Royals this season and is3-0 in three career starts.

"We just can't get to him," Royals manager Buddy Bell said.

"In the end I got a little tired and gave up some hits, butGlover came in and did an outstanding job," Shields said. "Whenyou're put in that situation with an 11-game losing streak, itis tough to pitch mentally. I give him credit."

Mark Teahen drove in Tony Pena Jr. with a sacrifice fly and RossGload doubled home Mark Grudzielanek, who was hit by a pitch,to chase Shields. Alex Gordon singled home Gload before JayWitasick, the third Tampa Bay pitcher of the inning, struck outBilly Butler to end the threat.

The Devil Rays' offense featured 15 hits, as the first sevenbatters in the lineup had at least two apiece.

Delmon Young had three hits, including two doubles, and drove intwo runs while Brendan Harris also had two hits and two RBI.Young leads American League rookies with 47 RBI.

Tampa Bay sent seven men to the plate in the first inning andscored two runs on four hits off Royals left-hander OdalisPerez.

Akinori Iwamura led off the game with a double on the firstpitch and scored on Harris' single. Carlos Pena's two-outsingle scored Harris, bringing his RBI total to 50.

Perez (4-8) took the loss, giving up five runs on 10 hits and awalk in six innings. Perez is 2-6 in his past eight decisions.

"They are an aggressive young team and they were able to put theball in play and scored some runs," Perez said. "I lost and Ifeel bad because I lost, but I don't think I threw the ballbad."

The Royals trimmed the lead to 2-1 in the second when Gathrightdoubled to left to plate Alex Gordon, who led off the inningwith a single and moved to third on back-to-back wild pitches byShields.

The Devil Rays scored single runs in the fifth, sixth andseventh innings. Carl Crawford walked in the fifth, stolesecond (his 22nd steal), moved to third on catcher John Buck'sthrowing error and scored on Harris' single.

In the sixth, Jonny Gomes singled, stole second, moved to thirdon a groundout and scored on Raul Casanova's sacrifice fly.Young's double in the seventh scored Harris, upping the TampaBay lead to 6-1