ST. PETERSBURG — Drew Rasmussen took a no-hit try into the sixth inning in his first start since making a serious perfect game bid, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Kansas City Royals 5-2 on Saturday.

Rasmussen, who lost his perfect game last Sunday when Baltimore’s Jorge Mateo opened the ninth with a double, walked MJ Melendez leading off the Royals first.

Melendez got the Royals’ first hit when he lined a single into center past Rasmussen with one out in the sixth. Bobby Witt Jr. doubled before Ramussen’s final batter, Salvador Perez, hit a sacrifice fly.

Rasmussen gave up two runs, two hits and one walk along with eight strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.

Brooks Raley replaced Rasmussen and allowed an RBI single to Vinnie Pasquantino that got the Royals within 4-2.

After Pasquantino reached on an error by third baseman Isaac Paredes with one out in the first, Rasmussen retired 14 in a row.

Peter Fairbanks, the third Tampa Bay reliever, worked the ninth to get his third save and complete a four-hitter.

Six of the first eight Rays’ batters had hits off Kris Bubic (2-8), who allowed four runs, eight hits and two walks over 3 ⅔ innings.

Two came in the first when strong defensive plays by Witt at third and center fielder Michael A. Taylor helped keep the game scoreless.

Tampa Bay went up 3-0 in the second as the initial four batters’ had hits, including an RBI single by Yu Chang and Taylor Walls’ run-scoring double. The other run crossed the plate on a wild pitch.

Chang added an eighth-inning sacrfiice fly.

Yandy Díaz made it 4-0 with a fourth-inning RBI double.

There was a loud cheer from the crowd when the stadium playing field lights went out for a second in the seventh with a thunderstorm rumbling overhead.

MISSING OUT, AGAIN?

The Rays host a four-game series against the Los Angeles Angels starting Monday night and currently are not slated to face Shohei Ohtani as a pitcher. Ohtani (10-7), who has not pitched at Tropicana Field, is scheduled to start Sunday at Detroit but there is a chance of rain.

MOVING DAY

The Royals optioned RHP Max Castillo to Triple-A Omaha and recalled RHP Collin Snider. Castillo allowed one run over five innings in his Kansas City debut Thursday.