ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)— James Shields gave the Tampa Bay Rays another strong pitching performance as they make their push in the AL East.

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.

“I’m mixing my pitches up pretty well,” Shields said. “My delivery has been really, really well ever since the beginning of this month. My change up is back in action.”

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.

“Shields set the tone, again,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “Our starters normally do that. Great job on his part.”

Jose Labaton homered off Aaron Crow leading off the bottom half, and Fernando Rodney pitched the ninth for his 39th save in 41 chances.

It was the first homer Crow allowed on the road since Boston’s Carl Crawford went deep on Aug. 21 last year at Fenway Park.

Tampa Bay won two of three in the series, limiting the Royals to just five runs. Tampa Bay leads the AL with a 3.27 ERA.