ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – Carl Crawford hit a two-run homer in Tampa Bay’s five-run fifth inning and the Devil Rays overcame a five-run deficit to beat the Kansas City Royals 10-5 on Thursday night.

Tampa Bay’s big inning gave it a 7-5 lead after falling behind 5-0 in the second.

Nick Green had an RBI single before Crawford tied it at 5-all with his homer off Kyle Snyder (0-2). Aubrey Huff added a run-scoring double and Damon Hollins had an RBI single to give the Devil Rays the two-run lead.

Crawford’s homer was his career-high 12th and it gave him 56 RBIs, also a career best.

Scott Kazmir (6-7) struggled early, but rebounded for his third consecutive win. He gave up five runs and seven hits in seven innings. The left-hander struck out a career-high 10 and walked three.

Snyder gave up nine runs and 12 hits in five-plus innings. The right-hander, who missed all of last season and spent time on the disabled list this year with shoulder injuries, was making his second start, and eighth appearance, in 2005.

Julio Lugo greeted reliever Jimmy Gobble – who replaced Snyder in the sixth – with a two-run double and later scored on the left-hander’s wild pitch to extend the lead to 10-5.

Mike Sweeney put the Royals up 2-0 with a two-run double in the first. Chip Ambres hit his first major league homer – a two-run shot – during a three-run second that put Kansas City ahead 5-0.

Toby Hall got Tampa Bay within 5-1 with a run-scoring double in the second and Jonny Gomes hit a solo homer in the fourth.

Notes: The announced crowd of 8,308 was the smallest this season at Tropicana Field. … Sweeney has 17 RBIs in his last 16 games. … Crawford stole second in the first inning for his 34th stolen base of the season. Lugo swiped this 30th base Wednesday, giving Tampa Bay the first AL teammates since Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki and Mike Cameron in 2002 to have 30 or more in the same season. … Ambres’ homer was the first allowed by Kazmir in 36 2-3 innings. … Snyder was looking for his first win since beating Los Angeles on June 4, 2003. That is his only major league victory.

AP-ES-07-28-05 2156EDT