Rangers 4, Royals 0
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Chi Chi Gonzalez blanked the Kansas City Royals on three hits and first baseman Mitch Moreland homered as the Texas Rangers topped the Royals 4-0 Friday night.
Gonzalez (2-0) limited the Royals to three singles, walked two and struck out two over nine innings while recording the shutout. He beat Boston 8-0 in his big league debut, not allow a hit until the sixth inning.
Moreland opened the three-run sixth with his sixth home run, taking a 3-1 offering from right-hander Edinson Volquez out to left-center.
After Moreland's blast, shortstop Elvis Andrus and center fielder Leonys Martin singled and both stole a base. Catcher Robinson Chirinos' sharp single to right scored both and sent Volquez to the showers.
The Royals, who have dropped eight of 10, were shut out for the third time this season. In the eight losses, the Royals have scored nine runs.
Volquez (4-4) gave up four runs on six hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings.
Rookie left fielder Delino DeShields led off the game with a triple, a sinking liner center fielder Lorenzo Cain nearly caught with a dive. When the ball rolled past Cain, DeShields sped into third base standing up.
Right fielder Shin-Soo Choo's routine ground out to second baseman Omar Infante scored DeShields.
Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas had an opposite-field hit in the first, but tried to stretch it into a double. Umpire Jim Reynolds called him safe, but the Rangers challenged the ruling, which was overturned after a 70-second review.
Gonzalez would not give up another hit until the fifth inning.
After walking Cain in the first, Gonzalez retired the next 12 hitters before right fielder Alex Rios' two-out fifth inning single.
The Rangers missed opportunities to pad their lead, stranding Moreland and second baseman Hanser Alberto at third base in the fourth and fifth innings.
Volquez gave up two hits in the first, but none the next four innings. He did, however, have to work around three walks and a Moustakas error.
NOTES: Rangers RHP Neftali Feliz, who went on the disabled list May 25 with an abscess near his right armpit, will throw one inning Saturday for Triple-A Round Rock to begin a rehab program. The Rangers have 13 players on the DL. ... Royals LF Alex Gordon's next home run will be his 128th, moving him past Billy Butler for seventh place on the Royals' career HR chart. ... Rangers C Robinson Chirinos celebrated his 31st birthday on Friday. ... Royals RHP Yordano Ventura, who is 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA in four home starts, will start Saturday. The Rangers will counter with LHP Wandy Rodriguez.