Royals 7, Rangers 6 (10 innings)
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Left fielder Alex Gordon drove the first pitch of the 10th inning into the seats just inside the right field foul pole, giving the Kansas City Royals a wild 7-6 victory over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night at Globe Life Park.
The American League Central-leading Royals (21-12) led on three other occasions, only to watch the Rangers come back to tie before the final blow. Kansas City previously went in front in the top of the ninth.
Gordon finished 3-for-5 as the Royals racked up 12 hits off six Texas pitchers. The winning blast came off reliever Stolmy Pimentel (0-1).
Royals closer Greg Holland (1-0) picked up the win after blowing a chance at his seventh save in the ninth. He wound up pitching two innings of one-run ball.
Texas (14-19) held the lead twice early before allowing six runs over the last five innings. The loss evened the four-game series with Kansas City at one game apiece.
The Royals grabbed a 6-5 lead in the ninth on center fielder Lorenzo Cain's slow roller to the right side that score shortstop Alcides Escobar.
Texas right-fielder Shin-Soo Choo (3-for-5) opened the bottom of the ninth with a single off Holland. Pinch runner Jake Smolinski scored with two outs on third baseman Adrian Beltre's soft single to center.
Texas starter Nick Martinez, winless over his past five starts, left with the game tied 4-4 with one out in the seventh. Kansas City third baseman Mike Moustakas unknotted it in hurry by greeting reliever Alexander Claudio with a mammoth blast over the Texas bullpen in right-center.
The Rangers came back to make it 5-5 on their ensuing at-bat, taking advantage of designated hitter Kyle Blanks' excuse-me single with two outs. The bloop scored shortstop Elvis Andrus from third.
The Royals overcame a two-run deficit entering the sixth by stringing three consecutive hits together, including two doubles off Martinez. An error by Andrus kept the rally alive, and Kansas City excited the inning with a 4-3 lead.
Cain and designated hitter Kendrys Morales sandwiched two-baggers around first baseman Eric Hosmer's line-drive single. Morales, tied for the league lead with 11 doubles, scored the go-ahead run on second baseman Omar Infante's sacrifice fly to left.
Texas tied it in the bottom of the inning, chasing Royals starter Edinson Volquez in the process after Blanks' leadoff double to right-center. Catcher Robinson Chirinos lofted a fly ball to center off reliever Ryan Madson to plate Blanks.
Martinez gave up four runs (three earned) on six hits in 6 1/3 innings. Volquez allowed four runs on six hits in five innings.
Choo and Hosmer hit solo home runs in the first and second innings, respectively.
NOTES: Kansas City recalled RHP Aaron Brooks from Triple-A to bolster the bullpen. He was 2-3 with a 3.51 ERA in six appearances for Omaha. In a corresponding move, the club optioned RHP Yohan Pino to Omaha. Pino was 0-1 with an 0.64 ERA in six relief outings for the Royals. ... Texas' three home runs Monday night ended a drought of 118 games without hitting at least three homers. That was the longest active streak in the majors and the second longest in club history. ... Royals manager Ned Yost said LHP Danny Duffy would make his scheduled start Saturday despite two consecutive poor outings (0-2, 10 runs on 11 hits and six walks in a combined 4 2/3 innings).