James Shields scattered four hits for his major league-leading 11th complete game of the season and Casey Kotchman delivered a key two-run single as the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the visiting Texas Rangers 5-1 on Monday.

Shields (14-10), who shut the Rangers out over eight innings Aug. 31, allowed a run in the ninth without giving up a hit. He struck out six to go over 200 strikeouts for the first time in his career (205).

It was the 14th complete game for the Rays, second only to the Philadelphia Phillies in the majors.

Shields is the first American League pitcher to throw 11 complete games in a season since Baltimore's Scott Erickson in 1998.

The loss trimmed the Rangers' lead over the Los Angeles Angels to three games atop the American League West. The Angels faced Seattle later Monday.

Evan Longoria belted a solo homer in the first and scored on Kotchman’s bases-loaded single in the fourth. The Rays scored three runs on three walks and a hit in the fourth. B.J. Upton added a solo homer in the seventh for Tampa Bay.

Elvis Andrus had two hits and Adrian Beltre’s second-inning single extended his hitting streak to 11 games, five since coming off the disabled list, for the Rangers. Andrus scored the lone run in the ninth after a lead-off walk.

Texas starter Scott Feldman (1-1), who shut out the Rays in six innings Aug. 30 for a win, allowed four runs on four hits and walked four.