Royals 10, Rays 1: Former Rays infielder Elliot Johnson recorded a leadoff single and a three-run homer in the sixth inning as visiting Kansas City scored eight times en route to its eighth win in nine games.

Ervin Santana (5-5) allowed an unearned run on five hits, struck out three and did not walk a batter over 7 2/3 innings to earn his second straight victory. Eric Hosmer also homered while Johnson finished with three hits and David Lough added two hits and two RBIs for the Royals.

After Rays starter Jeremy Hellickson (4-3) posted five scoreless innings, Johnson got the last of eight hits in the sixth with his blast into the right-field seats for an 8-0 lead. Miguel Tejada recorded an RBI double while Alex Gordon, Salvador Perez and Lough delivered run-scoring singles for Kansas City in its highest-scoring frame of the season.

Johnson, who is 6-for-11 with two homers against the Rays in 2013, is the first Kansas City player to have two hits in an inning since Hosmer accomplished the feat Aug. 20, 2011. The Royals set a franchise record by allowing three runs or fewer in their 12th straight contest.

Hellickson yielded eight runs and 10 hits over 5 2/3 innings, losing for the first time since April 25 after three victories and five no-decisions. Matt Joyce and Luke Scott each had two hits for Tampa Bay, which lost for the fourth time in five games.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Rays LHP David Price threw 54 pitches over three innings in a simulated game Thursday afternoon and could make a rehab start next week. Price, the 2012 American League Cy Young winner, has been out since May 16 with a strained left triceps. … Kansas City manager Ned Yost missed the game to attend his daughter’s wedding in Georgia and bench coach Chino Cadahia ran the team. … The Royals have won seven of their last nine contests against the Rays, including all three this season.