The Kansas City Royals won their eighth straight game and took over the AL Central lead Monday night when Yordano Ventura outdueled Sonny Gray during a 3-2 win over Oakland Athletics.

The victory, coupled with a loss by Detroit in Pittsburgh, gave the long-suffering Royals a division lead at the latest point in a season since 2003.

Alcides Escobar drove in a run in the second inning before delivering a two-out single off Gray (12-6) in the seventh, putting Kansas City in front and sending the crowd to its feet.

Kelvin Herrera (3-2) took over for Ventura and tossed spotless seventh inning, and Wade Davis breezed through the eighth. Greg Holland worked the ninth for his 35th save.