MLB: Tampa Bay 4, Kansas City 1

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Aug. 11 (UPI) -- Ben Zobrist tripled in two runs and Tampa Bay's pitchers stranded 10 Kansas City runners Thursday in a 4-1 Rays' win and four-game series sweep over the Royals.

Zobrist sent a drive to left-center and the ball went off an angle of the wall and past Kansas City center fielder Melky Cabrera. That allowed Johnny Damon and Evan Longoria to score on a stand-up triple and give the Rays a 2-1 lead in the third inning.

Tampa Bay added a run in the fifth on Longoria's sacrifice fly and Zobrist completed the scoring after he doubled and reached home on a single by Sean Rodriguez in the eighth.

The first three runs were charged to Kansas City starter Danny Duffy (3-6), who allowed five hits and walked three while striking out two over seven innings.

Tampa Bay starter Jeff Niemann (7-4) collected the win as he scattered nine hits and two walks over 6 1/3 innings. Kyle Farnsworth work the ninth for his 21st save.

Kansas City piled up 11 hits -- three by Cabrera -- and two walks, but all the hits were singles and the Royals left 10 runners on base, leaving the bases loaded in the sixth.

Kansas City's run came in the first when Alex Gordon scored on a ground out.