Kansas City, MO -- (Sports Network) - Gil Meche was brilliant on the hill and John Buck drove in two runs, as the Kansas City Royals staved off a late comeback by the Tampa Bay Rays to take a 4-2 victory.

Meche (8-9) yielded just five hits while fanning four batters and walking only one over seven scoreless innings. Joakim Soria gave up a run in the ninth, but still managed to earn his 27th save.

Ross Gload and Mark Grudzielanek knocked in a run each for the Royals, who snapped a three-game skid.

"It's good to see them (the Tigers) out of town and it was good to get that first run in the first inning to get us a lead," David DeJesus said. "Gil (Meche) didn't pitch good in the early innings, but once the later innings came around he was lights out."

Matt Garza (8-6) was saddled with the loss as he gave up all four runs on eight hits while walking four hitters. J.P. Howell, Grant Balfour and Dan Wheeler combined to throw three innings of two-hit ball.

B.J. Upton had an RBI for the Rays, who have lost seven straight on the road. Cliff Floyd drove in the other run for TB. Jason Bartlett, who was activated from the disabled list prior to the game, went 3-for-3 and scored a run.

"We're going to have to play a lot more games on the road in the second half than at home," Evan Longoria said. "So we're going to have to learn how to win on the road. At least look to split. In these four series, we've got to win two."

The Rays, trailing 4-1, rallied again in the ninth, but it was too little, too late. Soria came in and immediately gave up a double to Longoria. Carlos Pena then put runners on the corners with a single. Floyd's sacrifice fly made it 4-2, but Dioner Navarro grounded out and Eric Hinske went down swinging to seal the deal.

KC jumped on top in the first. DeJesus led off with a single, moved to third on Mike Aviles' single and crossed home as Mark Grudzielanek offered a sac fly to center.

The Royals tacked on three more runs in the fourth inning. Alex Gordon started it off with a one-out single before Billy Butler walked. Gload kept it going with an RBI single and Buck followed with a two-run double to put KC up 4-0.

The Rays managed just five hits through seven innings.

TB put a run on the board in the eighth inning off Ron Mahay. Bartlett opened the frame with a double, moved to third on Akinori Iwamura's grounder and came around as Upton grounded out.

Game Notes

The Rays fell to 19-26 as the visitor in 2008...Garza is an impressive 6-1 with a 2.10 earned run average on the Tropicana Field mound this season, but has struggled to a 2-5 record in eight starts away from St. Petersburg.