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(Sports Network) - The Tampa Bay Rays carry a six-game winning streak into today's matchup with Kansas City, the third of four weekend contests.

On Saturday, Ben Zobrist tripled and homered, and Andy Sonnanstine threw seven shutout innings, as the Rays topped Kansas City, 3-0. Sonnanstine (10-3) scattered just five hits, walked one and struck out two for Tampa Bay, which has won six in a row. Sonnanstine has won two straight starts and four consecutive decisions.

Akinori Iwamura doubled and drove in two runs for the Rays, who now lead the American League East division by four games over Boston, which lost Saturday to the Yankees. Tampa Bay holds a nine-game lead over New York.

Zack Greinke (7-5) took the loss for KC despite a solid start, as he gave up two runs on seven hits in six innings, while striking out seven. Mark Grudzielanek had two hits for the Royals, who went without an extra-base hit.

Kansas City has lost two in a row and six of eight.

Luke Hochevar is the scheduled starter for Kansas City today, and he is 5-6 with a 4.91 ERA, numbers than can certainly stand some improvement. He has yielded 88 hits and handed out 39 walks in 84.1 innings of work and owns a 5.79 ERA in his last three outings.

Hochevar has never faced the Rays in his career.

James Shields has been just one of many impressive pitchers for Tampa this season. He is 6-5 with a 3.70 ERA and has 88 strikeouts against only 20 walks. He is 2-0 in his last three outings and is coming off a victory over Boston in which he permitted only two earned runs in 6.1 innings of work.

Shields is 3-0 lifetime against Kansas City with a 2.57 ERA.

Kansas City won four of seven last year against the Rays. The clubs split four games in Tampa in 2007.