Bronx, NY (Betting Express) - Kansas City Royals pitcher Jose Lima was activated off the 15-day disabled list Monday after being sidelined for most of the month with a groin injury.

Lima started Monday's game against the New York Yankees and took the loss in an 11-6 setback. He was roughed up for six runs on seven hits in just four innings.

The 30-year-old Lima, who hadn't pitched since August 1, fell to 7-1 with a 3.72 earned run average in 10 starts this season.

Lima, who won 21 games when he was with Houston in 1999, was released by the Detroit Tigers following a dismal 2002 season which saw him go 4-6 with a 7.77 ERA.

On Monday, Lima was pitching at Yankee Stadium, which is just across the river from Newark, New Jersey, where he opened this season as a pitcher for the Newark Bears of the independent Atlantic League.

The Royals made room on the roster for Lima on Sunday by optioning righthander Runelvys Hernandez to Double-A Wichita. Hernandez gave up nine runs and nine hits in just 3 1/3 innings on Saturday against Minnesota and fell to 7-5 this season with a 4.61 ERA.