KANSAS CITY -- Quality starts by two rising pitching stars on Tuesday night highlighted a 1-0 Rays win determined on James Loney's RBI single in the ninth.The win was the Rays' first in three games and also ended a streak of losses at Kauffman Stadium at seven.Wil Myers started the winning rally with an infield single off Greg Holland to lead off the Rays' ninth. Two outs later he moved to third on a wild pitch with Loney at the plate. 
Loney singled on a 3-2 slider from Holland, and Myers raced home to score the game's only run.Grant Balfour then pitched a scoreless ninth to preserve the win while earning his second save of the season.Chris Archer and Yordano Ventura started for the Rays and the Royals, respectively. Neither received a decision, but each made his mark, raising eyebrows in the process.Archer gave the Rays a second consecutive quality start when he held the Royals to no runs on six hits and two walks while striking out four in seven innings.Unfortunately for the Archer and the Rays, Ventura also put zeros on the scoreboard in his 2014 opener and fourth career Major League start.The hard-throwing right-hander was originally scheduled to debut for the Royals on Thursday, but the game was rained out. Rather than have him pitch Friday, the Royals opted to have him skip a turn to keep the rest of the rotation on regular rest.Ventura spent the weekend in the Royals' bullpen but did not pitch. The days off clearly did not hurt.The 22-year-old native of the Dominican Republic held the Rays scoreless on two hits and no walks while striking out six in six innings.Bill Chastain / MLB.com
Loney singled on a 3-2 slider from Holland, and Myers raced home to score the game's only run.Grant Balfour then pitched a scoreless ninth to preserve the win while earning his second save of the season.Chris Archer and Yordano Ventura started for the Rays and the Royals, respectively. Neither received a decision, but each made his mark, raising eyebrows in the process.Archer gave the Rays a second consecutive quality start when he held the Royals to no runs on six hits and two walks while striking out four in seven innings.Unfortunately for the Archer and the Rays, Ventura also put zeros on the scoreboard in his 2014 opener and fourth career Major League start.The hard-throwing right-hander was originally scheduled to debut for the Royals on Thursday, but the game was rained out. Rather than have him pitch Friday, the Royals opted to have him skip a turn to keep the rest of the rotation on regular rest.Ventura spent the weekend in the Royals' bullpen but did not pitch. The days off clearly did not hurt.The 22-year-old native of the Dominican Republic held the Rays scoreless on two hits and no walks while striking out six in six innings.Bill Chastain / MLB.com
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