Major League Baseball: Rangers 4, Royals 1
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Cole Hamels helped the Texas Rangers keep rolling against a Kansas City Royals team caught in a freefall.
Hamels allowed four singles over seven innings, Delino DeShields doubled home two runs and the Rangers beat the Royals 4-1 on Tuesday night to extend their winning streak to a season-high four games.
The Royals have lost eight straight, matching their season high, and 14 of 15. They own a major league-worst 10-28 home record, and their 22-51 overall mark is the worst in franchise history after 73 games.
Hamels (4-6) picked up his first win since May 22. The run off him in the fifth was unearned, and he has yet to allow an earned run in 20 innings over three starts at Kauffman Stadium.
To be able to get the runs that we did in the second and third, that was huge, Hamels said. Just to kind of let you settle down and I felt good from there.
Keone Kela pitched a spotless ninth for his 17th save in as many chances.
DeShields second-inning double scored Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Robinson Chirinos.
Kiner-Falefa, who had three hits and walked, doubled home Adrian Beltre in the third. Jurickson Profar scored the second run of the inning after third baseman Mike Moustakas fielding error to make it 4-0.
Early in the day he (Kiner-Falefa) wasnt initially in the lineup, but its a testament to what he does every single day, the professionalism he shows up with, even as a young player, a rookie player, he comes prepared, Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. He was one of the first players at the ballpark ready to play and he came up big for us tonight with the doubles.
Royals starter Jason
Hammel (2-8) was removed after 5 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on nine hits and four walks. Hammel is 0-6 in nine home starts since an Aug. 20 victory over Cleveland.
Four walks and two of them came around to score, Hammel said. Thats the thing that will irk me as Im trying to sleep. I had trouble gripping the ball the first few innings. I was just sweating like a dog. Its an excuse. Its something Ive dealt with my whole career. I sweat a lot.
Rosell Herreras two-out double in the fifth scored Alex Gordon with the Kansas City run.
Whit Merrifield led off the Royals first with a walk, took second on a wild pitch and stole third with none out, but did not score. Salvador Perez grounded into his 12th double play after Moustakas walked to end the inning.
Weve hit into our 73rd double play of the year, something crazy, Royals manager Ned Yost said. It just boggles your mind that that has happened so many times.
Gordon picked up his seventh outfield assist of the season, throwing out Elvis Andrus trying to score from second on Profars ninth-inning single.
GAME TWO TIDBITS
The Rangers have more than half of their 31 victories in the second games of series. They are 16-8 in Game 2s.
