Loney's single in 9th lifts Rays over Royals 1-0

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) James Loney hit an RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning to lift the Tampa Bay Rays over the Kansas City Royals 1-0 on Tuesday night.

Rays starter Chris Archer wriggled out of two bases-loaded jams and went seven innings in an impressive pitchers' duel between top young arms. Royals rookie Yordano Ventura dazzled in his season debut, holding Tampa Bay to two hits in six shutout innings.

Loney's grounder to right scored Wil Myers, who snapped an 0-for-15 slump when he reached on an infield single to start the ninth. Myers advanced on a two-out wild pitch by Greg Holland (0-1).

Joel Peralta (1-1) got one out with the bases loaded and Grant Balfour worked the ninth for his second save.

Ventura walked none and struck out six, including Myers three times.

Archer pitched out of bases-loaded, one-out jams in the third and sixth. He induced Eric Hosmer to ground into a double play to end the third. In the sixth, Archer retired Alex Gordon on an infield popup and Danny Valencia on a grounder to leave the bases full.

The Royals loaded the bases again in the eighth against relievers Jake McGee and Peralta, but Valencia looked at three straight strikes from Peralta to end the inning.

Mike Moustakas, hitless in his first 21 at-bats this season, opened the Royals ninth with a single to center but went no further.

Tampa Bay missed an opportunity in the eighth when Royals reliever Wade Davis walked Matt Joyce and plunked pinch-hitter Logan Forsythe with a pitch. Davis recovered to strike out Yunel Escobar and David DeJesus.

NOTES: The Rays placed LHP Matt Moore on the 15-day disabled list with an elbow injury. An MRI exam was inconclusive and Moore will see Dr. James Andrews on Wednesday or Thursday for further exams. ... The Rays recalled LHP Jeff Beliveau from Triple-A Durham. ... Tests revealed Royals 2B Omar Infante has a sprained jaw, but no fracture, after being struck by a pitch from Heath Bell in the seventh inning Monday. Infante, who needed six stiches, will be evaluated over the next 48 hours, but the preliminary diagnosis was that he would not miss many games. ... Valencia made his first big league start at second base.