Kansas City, Mo. ? Darrell May figured he was lucky to avoid becoming the majors’ first nine-game loser.

Kansas City’s slumping left-hander gave up 11 hits, including six of the New York Mets’ eight doubles, in six innings.

But he still emerged a 7-5 winner Friday night.

“It’s pretty unbelievable to give up eight doubles in a game and still come out with a win,” May said.

Gerald Williams doubled on May’s first pitch of the game, and the Mets went on to tie the Royals’ record for doubles by an opponent.

“He hit a double and it seemed like it never stopped,” May said. “Whatever I was throwing, they’d put a runner on second. Maybe I should just go out there every inning with the mentality, that somebody is already on second base.”

Matt Stairs doubled and tripled for the Royals.

The struggling Mets lost their fourth straight, despite tying a season high with 17 hits.

The Mets, who left the bases loaded in the 11th inning the night before in a 15-inning loss to Minnesota, also left them loaded in the ninth against closer Jeremy Affeldt. They finished with 13 runners stranded.

Mets manager Art Howe took an optimistic approach New York’s night at the plate.

6Sports video: Royals beat Mets

“Offensively, I felt a lot better about the way we swung the bats,” he said. “We left some runners on, obviously. But it was an improvement.”

May (3-8) allowed five runs, with five strikeouts. Affeldt recorded the final four outs for his eighth straight save after blowing his first opportunity of the season.

“It’s almost like we didn’t decide to bear down until they had runners in scoring position,” May said.

Doubles by Williams and Cliff Floyd put New York on top 1-0 in the first, then the Royals scored three off Jae Seo (3-5) in the third. Mike Sweeney had an RBI double and Ken Harvey hit a two-run home run on a 3-1 pitch.

“Believe it or not, he was supposed to be pitching around him,” Howe said. “His command just wasn’t there. That ball came right back over the middle of the plate.”

Williams and Floyd had three hits apiece for the Mets, who loaded the bases with three singles in the ninth before Affeldt got Karim Garcia on a bouncer to first for the final out.

Two runners were left on base when Carlos Beltran made a spectacular catch in deep left-center on Floyd’s sinking liner with two out in the eighth.

“Nice play in center field,” Howe said. “That was a big play for them.”

During the game, Royals’ general manager Allard Baird disclosed he had contacted major league clubs to tell them he was now willing to listen to offers for any of his players — including Beltran.

“Right now I just have to think about Carlos is still part of this organization. It’s disappointing, sure,” Royals manager Tony Pena said. “But when things have to be done, they have to be done.”

Byron Gettis’ sacrifice fly gave him his first major league RBI and put the Royals on top 4-2 in the fourth. In the fifth, Stairs hit an RBI triple and Jose Santiago hit a two-run double off reliever Dan Wheeler for a 7-2 lead.

Seo gave up eight hits and six runs in 4 2/3 innings, walking one and striking out two.

After Joe McEwing’s RBI single in the sixth, the Mets made it 7-5 in the seventh on Ty Wiggington’s two-run double off Scott Sullivan.

Notes: The eight doubles tied the record against the Royals, which had been done three times. The Mets had nine doubles May 21 against Colorado … Stairs’ triple was his first since Sept. 28, 2003 and only his second since 2000. …Seattle RHP Joel Pineiro (1-8) is the other eight-game loser.