Royals 6, Rangers 3
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Eric Hosmer hit a two-run homer to key a big sixth inning as the Kansas City Royals salvaged a series split with a 6-3 victory over the Texas Rangers on Thursday.
The win kept the Royals from losing their first series of the year.
The Royals pounded out 14 hits, scoring once off Texas starter Ross Detwiler (0-5) in the first inning and twice in the third to take a 3-0 lead. Kansas City could have had more runs but stranded seven against Detwiler despite producing nine hits in five innings against Detwiler.
After the Rangers scored two runs against Mark Guthrie (3-2) in the bottom of the fifth, the Royals countered with a three-run sixth against a Texas bullpen that has allowed 26 earned runs in May.
Catcher Drew Butera opened the inning with a double off Texas reliever Anthony Bass and scored on a single by shortstop Alcides Escobar. The Rangers then turned to left-hander Sam Freeman, who was making his Texas debut. Hosmer, who extended his hitting streak to 11 games in the first inning, drilled two-run homer into the Kansas City bullpen.
Escobar had three hits and three RBIs for the Royals. Hosmer also finished with three hits and raised his average to .333. Designated hitter Kendrys Morales, Butera and second baseman Omar Infante each had two hits.
Texas collected seven hits, with right fielder Shin-Soo Choo accounting for three and extending his hitting streak to 14 games. That'’s the longest streak in the American League this season.
NOTES: Rangers CF Leonys Martin received a cortisone shot in his left wrist on Wednesday and is hoping to avoid a stint on the disabled list. Martin aggravated an already sore wrist when he was jammed it during an at-bat Monday night and hasn't started since then. ... The Rangers will have to make a roster decision on RHP Kyuji Fujikawa before Friday's game. Fujikawa, on the disabled list with a strained right groin, has been on a rehab assignment the maximum amount of time and was in the clubhouse Thursday. ... Kansas City has been dominant during day games. The Royals are 8-3 in matinee games and were batting .298 in day games with a 2.97 ERA. The Royals are second only to Detroit in winning percentage (.765) during the day this season. ... Royals DH Kendrys Morales entered Thursday with an eight-game hitting streak, doing just enough to extend it. Morales had just one hit in each of the previous six games, dropping his average during the streak from .305 to .297.