ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Evan Longoria drove in two runs, Jeremy Hellickson went 4 1-3 innings in his season debut, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Kansas City Royals 4-3 on Tuesday night.
The Rays opened the sixth with three consecutive hits, including a two-run single by Longoria off Jason Vargas (8-4), to take a 2-1 lead. Vargas, who allowed two runs and six hits in 5 2-3 innings, was coming off seven innings in the Royals' 4-0 win Wednesday against Minnesota.
 
Longoria has 2 RBIs, Rays top Royals 4-3
 
Hellickson, coming back after arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow in January, gave up one run and six hits.
James Loney had an RBI double and Logan Forsythe hit a sacrifice fly as Tampa Bay took a 4-1 lead in the eighth. The Rays were aided when Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar fielded Longoria's grounder with no outs, but was beaten to second base by Brandon Guyer, who had a leadoff bunt single.
Salvador Perez had three RBIs, including a two-run single off Jake McGee in the ninth that pulled the Royals within 4-3. Kansas City had at least one baserunner in all nine innings.
McGee, the fourth Tampa Bay reliever, went the final 1 1-3 innings for his sixth save. The left-hander entered with two on and two outs in the eighth, and got a flyball from pinch-hitter Danny Valencia.
Kansas City's Lorenzo Cain reached base five times - four hits and a walk. The Royals went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position through eight innings.
Brad Boxberger (2-1) replaced Hellickson in the fifth with runners on first and third with one out and gave up an RBI grounder to Perez that put Kansas City ahead 1-0.
 

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