Kansas City, Mo. ? There’s nothing like a great play in the outfield to get a pitcher off to a good start.

Left fielder Carl Crawford brought a roar from the crowd Sunday when he made a running, diving leap and stretched out full length to snare David DeJesus’ drive in the gap.

Then a grateful Jorge Sosa went on to allow five hits in seven shutout innings and lead Tampa Bay to a 7-2 victory Sunday over the Kansas City Royals.

“It lifted me up,” Sosa said through a translator. “When somebody makes a great play, you get the feeling that today might be my day. I made a mistake, and Carl bailed me out.”

Rocco Baldelli hit a two-run single, and Julio Lugo, Tino Martinez and Jose Cruz Jr. each had three hits for the Devil Rays, who had 15 hits and won their second straight game following a 12-game losing streak. Tampa Bay also ended an 11-game streak of games with errors, a team record.

Crawford’s play probably saved a run because Abraham Nunez hit a pop-fly double one out later.

“There isn’t another left fielder in baseball who can make that play,” Tampa Bay manager Lou Piniella said. “Not a one.”