(AP) -- James Shields took a three-hitter into the eighth inning, leading Tampa Bay over the Kansas City Royals 5-3 Wednesday for the Rays' 16th win in 21 games.
Shields (12-7) retired 12 in a row after Alcides Escobar's two-out single in the third and allowed three runs and five hits in 7 2-3 innings.
The right-hander struck out seven and walked one, improving to 4-0 with a 2.15 ERA in his last five starts.
Escobar ended Shields' day with a two-out RBI triple in the eighth that pulled Kansas City to 4-2.
Jake McGee allowed a run-scoring single to Alex Gordon, and Kyle Farnsworth retired Billy Butler on a grounder.
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