Brian Bannister got roughed up. Again.

Bannister gave up seven runs, six earned, on eight hits in five innings in an 11-2 Royals loss Friday to the Rays. He walked one and struck out six, one shy of his season high.

"When they hit the ball, it didn't find any gloves," Bannister said. "It seemed like every ball they hit found a hole. We were playing the team with the best record in baseball."

Bannister said he had been working in-between starts on different things.

"I got a lot of swings and misses today," Bannister said. "I thought I made a lot of good pitches, but they're a confident offensive team now. We were playing the team with the best record in baseball. They jumped on me right away."

The Rays scored three runs in the first, two on sacrifice flies, and never looked back.

Carlos Pena hit a three-run homer in the three-run fifth and drove in six of the Tampa Bay runs.

"He did most of the damage," said Bannister, who dropped to 7-8 after starting the season 3-0.

In his past two starts -- both losses -- Bannister has allowed 17 hits in 9 2/3 innings. His earned run average has jumped from 4.47 to 5.15 in those two starts.

"Banny didn't pitch well," Royals manager Trey Hillman said. "He didn't locate."

RAYS 11, ROYALS 2: Rays starter Edwin Jackson gave up a leadoff single to David DeJesus but not much after that. The Royals did not get on the board until Mark Grudzielanek homered, the Royals' lone extra-base hit, in the seventh and managed just four hits. Brian Bannister took the loss, throwing 102 pitches in five innings and yielding seven runs, six earned. The Royals defense was shoddy, committing three errors.

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