(Sports Network) - The Tampa Bay Rays will try to run their winning streak to five games this evening, when they begin a four-game series with the Kansas City Royals at Tropicana Field.

The Rays' current winning run includes a three-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox, which pushed Tampa Bay's lead in the American League East to three games after Thursday's off day. The Rays completed their sweep with a 7-6 victory over the Red Sox on Wednesday.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Rays are the first team other than the Yankees or the Red Sox to lead the AL East in July or later since 2000, when the Blue Jays held the top spot through games of July 6 before finishing third.

Jason Bartlett's two-run single capped a six-run seventh inning to help the Rays rally, while Evan Longoria was 3-for-4 and knocked in three runs. Carl Crawford went 3-for-4 with a walk and a run scored, while Akinori Iwamura and Carlos Pena also drove in a run for Tampa Bay, which owns the best record in baseball at 52-32.

Bartlett, though, landed on the 15-day disabled list on Thursday due to a right knee sprain suffered in the game. The 28-year-old is batting .256 with 20 RBI and 18 steals in 77 games this season, his first with the Rays.

Tampa will try to keep things going with Edwin Jackson on the hill. Jackson has posted two straight no-decisions since a loss to Florida on June 15 in which he allowed six runs. He faced the Pirates on Saturday and gave up three runs on six hits over 6 2/3 innings.

Jackson is 4-6 with a 4.33 earned run average on the season. The right-hander is also 0-1 with a 14.73 ERA in two career tests versus the Royals. That includes one start, which came on June 2 of last year. Jackson was rocked for six runs on six hits over 3 1/3 frames in that one.

The Royals counter with Brian Bannister, who suffered his first loss since May 22 last time out. He faced the Cardinals on Sunday and gave up seven runs on nine hits over 4 2/3 innings.

Bannister had given up a total of six runs over his previous three starts, going 2-0 in that span and lasting seven innings in each of those outings.

The 27-year-old is 7-7 with a 4.88 ERA on the season and defeated the Rays in his only other career start against them. On June 1 of last season, Bannister gave up just one run on two hits over eight innings against Tampa, while striking out six.

The Royals just split a four-game series with Baltimore, plating seven runs in the sixth inning of Thursday's finale to turn a four-run deficit into a 10-7 victory.

Mark Grudzielanek had four hits, scored twice and drove in a run for the Royals, while Jose Guillen added three RBI with a run scored on two hits. Billy Butler and Tony Pena Jr. each added two hits, an RBI and two runs scored in the win.

Royals outfielder David DeJesus went 1-for-5 to run his hitting streak to a career-high-tying 15 games. He is hitting .403 (25-for-62) with 16 RBI in that time.

Joel Peralta (1-2), Ron Mahay and Joakim Soria, who recorded his 23rd save of the season, combined to toss six scoreless innings in relief in Thursday's win.

Joey Gathright was held out of action for Kansas City last night after pulling his shoulder out of place while attempting an over-the-fence catch on Wednesday. Catcher John Buck, who took a foul tip to the groin Wednesday, also rested.

The Royals and Rays are meeting for the first time this season after Kansas City won four of seven last year. The clubs split four games in Tampa in 2007.