ST. Clint Capela Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Salvador Perez gave the Royals a late lift Wednesday night heading into a key midseason series. Perez hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the ninth inning and Kansas City beat Tampa Bay 5-4 to take two of three from the Rays. The second-place Royals return home Thursday night to begin a four-game series against AL Central-leading Detroit, which has a 4 1/2-game lead. "That was a huge win for us," Kansas City manager Ned Yost said. "Thats the difference between 4 1/2 games back compared to 5 1/2 games back. Definitely nice to have a little momentum going home for the last four games before the All-Star break. Its a lot better than the alternative." Kirby Yates (0-1), the fifth Tampa Bay reliever, entered with runners at the corners and gave up Perezs one-out shot into the left-field corner. Perez wasnt sure if the drive would stay fair or even clear the low fence near the foul pole. "As soon as the ball hit on the other side, good for us," he said. Its been a big week for Perez, chosen Sunday to start at catcher for the American League in next weeks All-Star game. Aaron Crow (4-1) pitched a scoreless eighth and Greg Holland got three outs for his 24th save. All-Star outfielder Alex Gordon (sprained right wrist) and third baseman Mike Moustakas (flu) were not in Kansas Citys starting lineup. In addition, left-hander Jason Vargas was taken to the hospital for an appendectomy. Gordon entered as a ninth-inning defensive replacement. He will have an MRI exam Thursday. "I dont think its anything serious," he said. Kevin Kiermaier went 4 for 4 with a grand slam for the Rays. Tampa Bay, which lost for the fourth time in 14 games, missed a chance to gain a game on AL East-leading Baltimore. The Rays remained nine games back of the Orioles in fourth place. "It stings a little bit," Yates said. "Its a game we could have won and we needed to win. Obviously, it doesnt feel good. Its a situation where you let your team down, but theres nothing I can do about it now." After starter Yordano Ventura walked light-hitting Jose Molina to load the bases with two outs in the fourth, Kiermaier sent a shot into the right-field stands to give Tampa Bay a 4-2 lead. Eric Hosmer hit a first-pitch solo homer with two outs in the first off Alex Cobb that put the Royals up 1-0. It was the first time Cobb pitched against Kansas City since being struck near the right ear June 15 last year by a liner hit by Hosmer. Cobb, sidelined for two months due to problems that included a concussion and symptoms of vertigo, allowed two runs and six hits in 6 2-3 innings. Ventura gave up four runs, five hits and four walks in five innings. He struck out five. The Royals loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth, but scored just once to take a 2-0 lead on Raul Ibanezs grounder. Kansas City failed to score with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh when reliever Grant Balfour got a pop fly from Perez. NOTES: Kansas City is 2-37 when trailing entering the ninth inning. ... Tampa Bay SS Yunel Escobar (shoulder) could return Friday. ... Kansas City RHP Jeremy Guthrie (5-7) and Tigers LHP Drew Smyly (4-8) are Thursdays scheduled starters. ... The Rays are off Thursday before starting a three-game series Friday night against Toronto. Eric Gordon Rockets Jersey . -- The Atlanta Braves are facing the possibility of losing another pitcher for the season after general manager Frank Wren said Saturday that Cory Gearrin has a serious injury to his right elbow. Gerald Green Jersey . The former central defender calmly nodded it down and quietly went about celebrating a win with his staff. For a man who has had a lot on his shoulders this season, it was an appropriate moment. http://www.therocketsofficial.com/Authentic-Tracy-McGrady-Rockets-Jersey/ . Gordon reportedly failed another drug test and is facing a one-year ban. Gordon led the NFL in yards receiving last season despite being suspended two games for violating the leagues substance-abuse policy.There will be no Jason Spezza or John Tavares to boost Canadas lineup at this years Spengler Cup. A 24-man roster released Sunday has Canada back to using permanent European league players, plus two American Hockey League additions, for the Dec. 26-Jan. 1 tournament in Davos, Switzerand. Canada sent a stacked team to last years event thanks to the NHL lockout. They pounded host HC Davos 7-2 in the final to win the worlds oldest international pro hockey tournament for a 12th time. Spezza, Tavares, Patrice Bergeron, Matt Duchene, Sam Gagner, Tyler Seguin, Ryan Smyth, Devan Dubnyk and Jonathan Bernier are all back in the NHL this time. But they will still have seven players back from 2012, including defencemen Geoff Kinrade, Micki DuPont, Maxim Noreau, Derrick Walser and Travis Roche, plus forwards Brett McLean and Byron Ritchie. "We think well be a good skating team with a lot of offensive prowess," said Hockey Canada vice-president of hockey operations Brad Pascall. "Last year, we had a good team overall, but we lost the first game against a German club team. "It wasnt a cakewalk. But as it went on, we dominated because Canadians want to win every tournament theyre in and because we had players from the lockout." Canada is in a three-team group with HC Davos and the Vitkovice Steel of the Czech league and will play its first game Dec. 26 against the Steel. The other group has Swiss club Servette Geneva, which is boosted by goalie Robert Mayer from the AHL Hamilton Bulldogs, as well as CSKA Moscow and the Rochester Americans of the AHL. The Americans were invited to the event for a second time after finishing third in 1996. Former NHL player Doug Shedden, who coaches EV Zug of the Swiss league, is back as Canadas head coach for a second year. He helped select the team along with Pascaall and two NHL assistant general managers — Craig Heisinger of the Winnipeg Jets and Brad Treliving of the Phoenix Coyotes. Houston Rockets Jerseys. Canada will have a national team in the tournament for a 30th straight year. For fans watching on TV at home, it is a chance to see mostly European club teams in gaudy gear plastered with advertising battle on the international ice surface at the Vaillant Arena in scenic Davos in the Swiss Alps. Its also a chance to catch up with several former NHL players now skating in Europe. Among them are goalie Chris Mason, defencemen Walser, Jim Vandermeer and Joel Kwiatkowski and forwards Ritchie, Anthony Stewart and Glen Metropolit. "Its special for the players who are there with their families," said Pascall. "Theyre away in a different country and this is a chance to spend a week with other Canadians and celebrate Canada." Also on the squad are former Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Allen York, who has been bouncing around the AHL and ECHL this season, and forward Alexandre Bolduc of the AHL Chicago Wolves. Others on the team include rearguards Travis Ehrhardt and Brendan Bell and forwards Colby Genoway, Alexandre Giroux, Brett McLean, Ahren Spylo, Jason Williams, Ryan MacMurchy, Darren Haydar, Jacob Mikflikier and Eric Beaudoin. Mason plays in Italy, Ehrhardt in Norway and Haydar in Germany, but all the other Europrean-based players are from the Swiss league. Canada won the first time it entered the Spengler Cup in 1984 and had a stretch of four wins in a row from 1995 to 1998. The win last year ended a four-year drought, although they have been in the final in 10 of the last 12 years. The first Spengler Cup was played in 1923 and HC Davos, whose lineup includes Swiss national team veterans Andres Ambuhl and Reto Von Arx, has won 15 times. ' ' '