MLB: Tampa Bay 9, Kansas City 2

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., July 6 (UPI) -- Gabe Gross and Evan Longoria hit home runs Sunday, powering the Tampa Bay Rays to their seventh straight win, a 9-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals.

Longoria hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the third inning and Gross hit a solo shot in the sixth.

Carlos Pena and B.J. Upton knocked in two runs each and three others had one RBI. Pena had three hits and four other Rays had two hits.

Winner James Shields (7-5) gave up two earned runs on four hits and one walk in seven innings with eight strikeouts.

Kansas City's runs scored on Esteban German's second-inning single.

Ross Gload had two of the six hits for the Royals, who have dropped seven of nine.

Losing pitcher Luke Hochevar (5-7) surrendered seven earned runs on nine hits in four innings.