"All good things must come to an end, it seems, even for Joakim Soria.

The Mexicutioner coughed up a two-run lead in the ninth inning Sunday afternoon before an error in the 12th by third baseman Wilson Betemit brought the Royals' season to a thudding conclusion in a 3-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at Kauffman Stadium.

Soria had not blown a save in 36 previous opportunities dating to May 6 at Texas. He had not allowed a run in 24 previous appearances dating to July 28.

Oh, well.

"Sometimes, it's going to happen," he said. "Nobody is perfect. It's disappointing, but you can't just see the bad things. I care (about blowing the save), obviously. But I've had a great year, and this won't affect the way I look at the year."

Tampa Bay scored the winning run after Rocco Baldelli lined a one-out pinch single in the 12th inning against Dusty Hughes.

Baldelli stole second on a swinging third strike by Reid Brignac, which prompted a pitching change to Greg Holland to get a righty-righty matchup against Kelly Shoppach.

The strategy should have work when Holland got Shoppach to hit a routine grounder to third, but the ball scooted between Betemit's legs for a run-scoring error.

"I have to make that play," Betemit said. "The ball didn't come up, and if I stay down a little better…but I've got to make that play."

Say this: The Royals didn't go quietly in their 12th against Tampa Bay closer Rafael Soriano. They put runners on second and third when Gregor Blanco followed a two-out walk to Mitch Maier with a pinch double.

It wasn't to be.

Soriano recorded his league-leading 45th save by striking out Mike Aviles, who threw his bat in frustration, which seemed a fitting conclusion to a 67-95 season. The Rays stormed the field in a celebration that soon shifted to the traditional clubhouse champagne party."