Rays’ rookie RHP Jeff Niemann wins 10th game of the season as Tampa Bay beats Kansas City

Niemann wins 10th game of the season

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Rookie Jeff Niemann pitched eight dominant innings for his 10th win, Carl Crawford hit a two-run homer and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Kansas City Royals 7-1 on Saturday.

Niemann (10-5) gave up four hits and struck out seven in his second career start against the Royals. He threw a two-hitter in beating Kansas City 9-0 on June 3.

Crawford hit a two-run homer during a four-run eighth that extended the Rays’ lead to 7-1.

David DeJesus homered off Neimann for the Royals, who have lost 15 of 18. Kansas City is 0-8 against Tampa Bay this season.

Royals starter Bruce Chen (0-6) gave up three runs and five hits in 6 2-3 innings. The left-hander, who had elbow ligament-replacement surgery in 2007, last won in the majors on Oct. 2, 2005, at Tampa Bay with Baltimore.

Jason Bartlett drove in two runs with a triple and then scored to make it 3-0 in the second when Royals second baseman Alberto Callaspo was charged with an error for a poor relay throw to third.

Kansas City threatened in the fifth, but left fielder Crawford threw out Brayan Pena attempting to score from third on Alex Gordon’s flyball.

DeJesus got the Royals to 3-1 during the sixth on his eighth homer of the season, and first since July 9.

The Royals have been outscored 33-7 in losing five times in Florida to the Rays this year.

Kansas City right fielder Mark Teahen left the game because of muscle tightness in his lower back. The team said Teahen is day to day.

NOTES: Chen has appeared in 53 games, including 20 starts, since his last victory. … Kansas City RHP Gil Meche, out since July 12 with a lower back strain, is scheduled to make a rehab start Sunday with Class-A Wilmington. … Tampa Bay signed free agent RHP Jeff Bennett and optioned RHP Joe Nelson to Triple-A Durham. … Royals RHP Kyle Farnsworth (right groin strain) could throw off a bullpen mound in the next couple days. … Rays 1B Carlos Pena was out of the starting lineup, but entered as a defensive replacement in the eighth.