Royals 7, Rays 2: Billy Butler recorded two singles and three RBIs and Salvador Perez added two hits and knocked in a pair of runs as visiting Kansas City won for the ninth time in its last 10 games.

Former Rays infielder Elliot Johnson chipped in with two hits and an RBI for the Royals, who have scored 34 runs to go 4-0 against Tampa Bay this season. Kansas City starter Luis Mendoza (2-3) allowed two runs and six hits over six-plus innings to earn his first victory since May 13.

Matt Joyce and Evan Longoria each recorded two hits and an RBI for the Rays, who have dropped five of their last six. Tampa Bay starter Matt Moore (8-3) yielded five runs on seven hits and four walks over 5 1/3 innings to lose his third consecutive start.

Moore hit Alex Gordon with a pitch and walked Eric Hosmer to open the game before Butler singled home a run with one out to give the Royals a 1-0 lead. The Rays answered in the bottom of the first with a solo blast by Joyce into the right-field seats and Longoria’s RBI double to edge in front 2-1.

After going hitless for the next three innings, Kansas City sent nine batters to the plate and scored four times in the fifth against Moore. Johnson lined a run-scoring triple into the left-field corner, Alcides Escobar and Perez added RBI singles and Butler plated the last with a sacrifice fly for a 5-2 lead.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Kansas City extended its franchise-record streak of allowing three runs or fewer to 13 games. … Johnson is 8-for-15 with five RBIs in four games against his former team this season and is batting .202 with three RBIs against the rest of the league. … Rays RHP Jake Odorizzi was optioned to Triple-A Durham and RHP Alex Cobb, who is scheduled to start Saturday, was reinstated from the bereavement list.