Joyce has tiebreaking hit and Sonnanstine pitches into the 7th as Tampa Bay beats Kansas City

Joyce has tiebreaking hit in Rays’ win

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Matt Joyce hit a tiebreaking two-run double and added a two-run homer, and Andy Sonnanstine allowed two runs in 6 2-3 innings to lead the Tampa Bay Rays past the Kansas City Royals 6-2 on Tuesday night.

Joyce made it 4-2 on his two-out double during the sixth off reliever Horacio Ramirez. He extended the Tampa Bay advantage to 6-2 on his third homer of the season in the eighth.

Sonnanstine (4-5) gave up six hits and had three strikeouts, rebounding from a start last Wednesday at Cleveland when the right-hander allowed eight runs and nine hits in three innings.

Tampa Bay, which won for the third time in nine games, also got a homer from Ben Zobrist.

Jose Guillen and Miguel Olivo homered for the Royals, who have lost five in a row and 10 of 12.

The Rays took a 2-1 lead on a two-run homer by Zobrist off Kyle Davies (2-5) in the fourth.

Davies lost his fourth consecutive start, allowing four runs, three hits and six walks over 5 2-3 innings. He struck out seven during his 114-pitch outing.

Guillen put the Royals up 1-0 on a second-inning homer. Olivo tied it at 2 with solo shot during the fifth.

Tampa Bay third baseman Evan Longoria left the game with tightness in his left hamstring. Gabe Gross pinch hit for Longoria, who the designated hitter due to a sore throwing arm, in the seventh. The Rays said Longoria, the leading AL vote getter for this year’s All-Star Game, is day to day.