Kansas City, Mo ? Preston Wilson was in unfamiliar territory, mired in a long slump and dropped to eighth in the batting order.

Wilson responded with two homers and three RBIs as the Florida Marlins beat the Kansas City Royals 13-5 Wednesday.

The slugging outfielder hadn’t batted eighth since 1999.

“It was not a surprise,” Wilson said. “When you’re 0-for-26, I’m surprised I’m not batting 12th.”

Wilson, who went 3-for-4, led off the second with a home run, his first hit since a home run on June 2. He added a solo homer, his 12th, in the fourth off Paul Byrd (8-5).

“His numbers were not good at all against Byrd,” Marlins manager Jeff Torborg said. “He was 0-for-8 against him.”

Marlins second baseman Luis Castillo singled in the third, extending his hitting streak to 28 games, the longest this season in the majors. He also singled in the eighth.

“He looks like the best second baseman in the game right now,” Wilson said. “He’s doing it all.”

Ryan Dempster (4-6), who gave up 10 runs in four innings in his previous start at Minnesota, scattered six hits and walked five in six innings for his second victory in six starts.

Byrd, 8-2 with a 2.88 ERA in his first 11 starts, is 0-3 with a 12.86 ERA in his past three starts, giving up 28 hits and 20 earned runs in 14 innings. He allowed nine runs, eight earned, on 10 hits and one walk in 41/3 innings before being replaced by Scott Mullen.

Byrd went for a MRI exam after the game.

“The back of my elbow’s a little tender,” Byrd said in a written note left at his locker for the media. “It shouldn’t be a problem. My elbow didn’t affect the way I pitched.”

Castillo scored an unearned run in the first when Michael Tucker and Byrd committed errors.

The Marlins took a 4-1 lead in the third. After Wilson homered, Castillo singled, stole second and scored on Andy Fox’ double. Mike Lowell doubled home Fox.

Florida stretched its advantage to 9-1 with a four-run fifth, which included doubles by Fox and Derek Lee and RBI singles by Wilson, Cliff Floyd and Eric Owens.

The Marlins added three runs in the ninth on a run-scoring passed ball and RBI singles by Floyd and Fox.

Carlos Beltran hit a two-run homer, his club-leading 10th, in the fifth off Dempster, who was replaced by Oswaldo Mariena in the seventh.

Raul Ibanez’s sacrifice fly in the first scored Neifi Perez for the first Kansas City run. Donzell McDonald and Ibanez doubled in the seventh for another Royals run.

Donnie Sadler strained his left hamstring while scoring from second in the Royals’ sixth on Carlos Febles’ single. He is scheduled to have an MRI exam on Thursday. Luis Alicea replaced him at third base in the next inning.

Notes: Mike Sweeney sprained his left ankle Tuesday and was not in the Royals starting lineup Wednesday for the first time this year. The Royals are hopeful he can play Friday at St. Louis after an off day Thursday. … Plate umpire Paul Schrieber warned both dugouts after Mullen hit Floyd with a pitch in the sixth. … The Marlins improved to 12-8 in day games and have won four straight afternoon games. … The Marlins improved to 54-36 in interleague play, while the Royals dropped to 39-51.