Royals defeat Rays 3-0

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Danny Duffy pitched eight innings of one-hit ball and had a franchise-record 16 strikeouts to lead the Kansas City Royals to a 3-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night.

Duffy (7-1) flirted with the Royals' first no-hitter in nearly 25 years before giving up a line-drive double to Desmond Jennings leading off the Tampa Bay eighth.

Jennings came off the disabled list Monday after missing all of July with a strained hamstring.

Kendrys Morales' 18th home run, a towering shot over the center field wall off Rays starter Chris Archer (5-15), got the Royals on the scoreboard in the seventh. Kelvin Herrera pitched the ninth for his second save.

Alcides Escobar and Lorenzo Cain drove in runs in the eighth for the Royals, who won for only the second time in 10 games.