a baserunner until walking Logan Forsythe to lead off the fourth.My fastball was jumping out o

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Born with glaucoma, Jeferson da Concei??o Gon?alves, known as Jefinho, was completely blind by age 7, three years before he learned to play soccer. He had seen images of Pelé but never watched videos of the legendary Brazilian soccer player in action.Yet Jefinho, who could win a third consecutive Paralympic gold medal with Brazils soccer 5-a-side team this week, has been dubbed the Paralympic Pelé for his success and playing style.Its an honor for me to be compared to an athlete like Pelé, said Jefinho, who, like others interviewed for this story, spoke through a translator.Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known globally as Pelé, won three World Cup titles and was named the Athlete of the Century in 1999 by the International Olympic Committee.In the era that Pelé played, he played really well, Tiago da Silva, Jefinhos teammate, said, but if he puts the blindfold on, hes not going to play well.In soccer 5-a-side, each team competes with four blindfolded players and one goalie who is not visually impaired.The field is smaller than a traditional soccer pitch and walled in so the ball cannot go out of bounds, and there are two 25-minute halves.The ball makes a noise each time it moves. Coaches give their players verbal commands and clank metal against the goalposts in order to indicate which way their players need to go.Hes a unique player who has already been considered to be the best player in the world, Fabio Vasconcelos, Brazils soccer 5-a-side coach, said of Jefinho. I did not see Pelé play, but he was a phenomenal player. I dont know if you can compare both of them, but for me, Jefinho is a phenomenal soccer player.Vasconcelos agreed that Pelé wouldnt play as well with a blindfold on. However, Jefinho has faith in his counterpart.He gave us three World Cup titles. Even with just one leg, Pelé would play really well, said Jefinho, 26, who joined Brazils soccer 5-a-side team when he was 17.He led Brazil to two back-to-back Paralympic gold medals at Beijing 2008 and London 2012. Brazil plays China in the Rio 2016 semifinals Thursday. The bronze- and gold-medal games are Saturday.He seems like he could actually see the ball and where the players are, Brazilian fan Fabiana da Silva dos Santos said of Jefinho. He passes the ball just as if he was seeing everything.Of several fans interviewed, only one had witnessed Pelé in action: Jorge Germano da Silva, 65.Pelé is something else, Da Silva said. He played in a different level. You cannot make the comparison.Said Vasconcelos: Theyre two big stars -- its great that they were born in Brazil.Others watching Jefinho play this week at Olympic Park noted similarities in his playing style to globally renowned superstars.From the way that Jefinho controls the ball, we can compare it to the way that Messi does, said Rodrigo da Luz, 19. He controls it really close to his feet and out-dribbles his opponents.Jefinho is bringing his sport notoriety in Brazil.Neiva Ananias started watching soccer 5-a-side based on the suggestion of her 8-year-old son. She was so intrigued that she went on the teams national website to see about future games and find out more information.People would call him (Jefinho) Neymar, Ananias, said in reference to fans reactions.Both Jefinho and Neymar, who connected on the penalty kick that gave Brazil the Olympic gold medal a month ago, have played for Brazils national team approximately the same amount of time. But Jefinho has two gold medals compared to Neymars one.Still, 6-year-old Bernardo da Silva, wearing a Neymar jersey, was not swayed.Theyre almost the same, he said, but Neymar is better.This friendly debate is welcomed by Jefinho. However, hes set on making his own history in 5-a-side.This shows that people see me in a different way, Jefinho said. To be a role model for other people to follow a path in sports -- I feel very proud about myself to do a job that gives this example to other people.--------Kendra Hansey is a journalism student at the University of Georgia. 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PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Danny Duffy couldnt get the no-hitter, but he still came away with a team record.The left-hander pitched eight innings of one-hit ball and had a franchise-record 16 strikeouts to lead the Kansas City Royals to a 3-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night.Duffy (7-1) flirted with the Royals first no-hitter in nearly 25 years before giving up a line-drive double to Desmond Jennings leading off the Tampa Bay eighth.Theres been a number of occasions when Dannys stepped on the mound and I said this might be the night, Royals manager Ned Yost said. But when he got through the seventh I thought this MAY be the night.Bret Saberhagen pitched the Royals last no-hitter on Aug. 26, 1991, and Zack Greinke owned Kansas Citys strikeout record of 15 until Monday night.Its an honor to have a game like those guys had, Duffy said, but I understand they had a lot more of those than I did. So Im really still trying to do as good as I did tonight down the road.Jennings came off the disabled list Monday after missing all of July with a strained hamstring.It was hittable, a good pitch to hit, Jennings said of the fastball he hit into the left-field corner. It wasnt looking too good for a little while.Kendrys Morales 18th home run, a towering shot over the center field wall off Rays starter Chris Archer (5-15), got the Royals on the scoreboard in the seventh. They added two more runs on three hits in the eighth.Kelvin Herrera pitched the ninth for his second save.Duffy, a 27-year-old left-hander who spent the first six weeks of the season in the bullpen, walked one. He struck out seven in his first trip through the Rays lineup, and did not allow a baserunner until walking Logan Forsythe to lead off the fourth.My fastball was jumping out of my hand, my changeup felt really ggood and my changeup was there, he said.dddddddddddd It was one of the few-and-far-between times that somebody has all of their pitches working the way they want.Archer gave up three runs on six hits in 7 1/3 innings, striking out six to raise his AL-leading total to 161. Tampa Bay snapped a four-game win streak.RAYS AT THE TRADE DEADLINEThe last-place Rays traded LHP Matt Moore, OF Brandon Guyer and INF/OF Steve Pearce -- all to teams that were in first place -- on Monday. We wish we were in that position, manager Kevin Cash said. Wish we didnt have to do that but weve got to do whats right for the organization today and moving forward.ROYALS AT THE TRADE DEADLINEThe World Series champions, coming off their worst month (7-19) in four years, did nothing at the deadline. Its good that we kept the group together. Everybodys happy about that, Yost said. (General manager) Dayton (Moore) looked at some things, but at the end of the day there wasnt anything thats going to make us better. He wanted to stick with this group. He believes in this group.TRAINERS ROOMRoyals: RHP Wade Davis rejoined the team to rehab his flexor strain. Davis and the Royals are hopeful he will be able to come off the disabled list when he becomes eligible Aug. 12.Rays: RHP Alex Cobb (Tommy John surgery) threw another bullpen session and will get another rehab start Thursday.UP NEXTRoyals: RHP Yordano Ventura will follow his first career complete game, a 3-2 loss at Texas on Thursday, in his 21st start of the season Tuesday night. He has lost five straight decisions.Rays: RHP Matt Andriese, back in the rotation with the trade of Matt Moore, will make his first start since June 10. ' ' '