Rangers win to complete sweep of Royals
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Mitch Moreland hit his fourth homer of the four-game series against Kansas City as the Texas Rangers completed a sweep with a 5-3 win over the Royals on Sunday.
The Rangers moved six games ahead of Houston in the American League West with the win, their largest lead since July 9. Kansas City has now dropped eight of its last nine games.
Moreland's two-run homer in the fourth off Dillon Gee (3-5) gave the Rangers a 4-1 lead and enough cushion for Lucas Harrell (3-2) and the Texas bullpen to get the job done.
Harrell, who was acquired from Atlanta Wednesday, gave up three runs on four hits in six innings of work in his Texas debut. The Rangers used four pitchers in relief of Harrell, with Sam Dyson working the ninth for his 22nd save as the Royals were held to four hits.
Kansas City trailed 4-1 in the fifth before rallying for two runs. Catcher Drew Butera opened with a homer off Harrell and Alcides Escobar delivered a one-out RBI single to make it 4-3.
Gee, who played collegiately in Arlington, was charged with four runs on seven hits in his six innings. He struck out two.
Texas added an insurance run in the seventh inning on an RBI double from Hanser Alberto.
The Royals took an early 1-0 lead on Eric Hosmer's first-inning homer, but the Rangers countered with two in the bottom of the first on two-run shot to right from rookie Nomar Mazara.
Moreland and Delino DeShields each had two hit for Texas.
NOTES: Kansas City put RHP Wade Davis on the 15-day disabled list with a flexor strain in his right elbow. The move is retroactive to July 27. The Royals called up LHP Matt Strahm from Double-A Northwest Arkansas to take Davis' spot. ...Texas OF Shin-Soo Choo will take batting practice with the Rangers Tuesday in Baltimore and hopes to be activated from the disabled list Thursday. Choo has been out since July 20 with lower back inflammation. ...RHP Lucas Harrell became the 11th starter used by the Rangers this season Sunday. That's tied for the most in the American League and one shy of the total starters used by Texas in 2015. ...The home run Brooks Pounders gave up Saturday night was the 140th allowed by the Royals this season, the second highest total in the majors. Kansas City pitchers allowed 155 the entire 2015 season.