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Royals-Rays Preview

Jun 4, 2009 - 3:34 AM By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA STATS Senior Writer

Kansas City (23-28) at Tampa Bay (26-28), 4:08 p.m. EDT

Evan Longoria isn't expected to be in the Tampa Bay Rays' lineup for a few days, but James Shields may not need much support to beat the Kansas City Royals.

With the Rays showing no signs of a letdown at the plate without Longoria, Shields looks to make it five wins in as many starts against the Royals in the finale of a three-game set Thursday.

A few hours after learning Longoria (hamstring) would be out for at least this series, Tampa Bay (27-28) beat Kansas City 9-0 on Wednesday night behind a grand slam from Ben Zobrist and a two-hitter by right-hander Jeff Niemann.

Longoria, the AL leader in All-Star voting, is not expected to go on the disabled list after injuring himself in Tuesday night's 6-2 win over the Royals (23-29). But the third baseman, hitting .322 with 13 homers and 55 RBIs in 52 games, isn't likely to play until a four-game road series against the New York Yankees that begins Friday.

"I just think it's going to be how I feel," Longoria said. "Going on a day-to-day basis. I think another day or two and hopefully I'll be back in there."

Willy Aybar replaced Longoria at third base and in the No. 3 spot in the lineup, going 1 for 3 and scoring once as Tampa Bay posted its highest run total since an 11-10 loss to Cleveland on May 25.

After losing a season-high five straight, the Rays have a 1.80 ERA in winning four of their last five and have a chance to sweep a three-game set for the first time this year. Facing a struggling Kansas City team has certainly helped.

The Royals, who have tied a season high by losing six straight, are 5-18 over the past four weeks while batting .229 and scoring two runs or fewer 10 times.

"It's just a lack of production that leads to a lack of confidence," Kansas City manager Trey Hillman said. "We need some good at-bats back-to-back."

Now the Royals are faced with trying to beat Shields (4-4, 3.53 ERA) for the first time. Shields has won all four of his starts versus Kansas City, posting a 2.57 ERA with three walks and 24 strikeouts in 28 innings.

He's also been pitching well lately, going 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA in his last three outings. The right-hander won for the first time since May 3 on Friday night, yielding two runs and seven hits in seven innings as Tampa Bay beat Minnesota 5-3.

Kansas City will counter with Gil Meche (2-5, 4.33), who is 2-1 with a 3.20 ERA in his last six starts against the Rays.

He's 0-3 in his last five outings overall but did not get a decision Saturday night after one of his best performances of the year. The right-hander gave up two runs and five hits while matching a season high with seven strikeouts in seven innings in a 5-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox.

Meche has been hurt by a lack of run support, getting two runs or fewer in six of his last eight starts.

The Royals' lineup may get a boost with center fielder Coco Crisp (bereavement list) expected to rejoin the team Thursday. Crisp, though, has struggled in his first season with Kansas City, batting .233.

He's 2 for 17 (.118) in his last five games at Tampa Bay.