Gallo, Chirinos power Rangers past Royals
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Joey Gallo and Robinson Chirinos each homered twice as the Texas Rangers powered their way past the Kansas City Royals 6-2 Friday night.
Gallo hit a two-run homer and a solo homer for his first career two-homer game, while Chirinos blasted a pair of solo homers off Nate Karns (0-1), who surrendered all four of the home runs. It marked the 16th time in club history at least two Rangers have had multi-homer games in the same game.
The offensive outburst made a winner out of Cole Hamels (1-0), who allowed just one run in eight innings of work.
Chirinos tied the game for the Rangers with a solo homer with two outs in the second. Two batters later, Gallo matched him with a long two-run homer to right to put Texas up 3-1.
Chirinos made it a 4-1 game with his solo homer with two outs in the fourth. Gallo matched Chirinos again an inning later, launching a solo homer to right and pushing the Texas lead to 5-1. It was the first time Texas teammates had homered in the same game in Arlington since 2005.
Mike Napoli ended the night for Karns with an RBI single that pushed the Texas lead to 6-1 in the fifth. Karns, who went to high school in Arlington, was charged with six runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Kansas City struck early against Hamels, taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI double from Lorenzo Cain. But Hamels settled in and retired 12-straight Royals at one point. He gave up just three hits in eight innings, striking out three and walking two.
Chirinos and Gallo each had two hits on a night the Rangers finished with six. Whit Merrifield had two of the six Kansas City hits, including an RBI single in the ninth.
NOTES: Texas OF Josh Hamilton was released from his minor league contract. While rehabbing his left knee in Houston he re-injured it and will undergo surgery on the knee in the near future. ... The Royals recalled OF Jorge Bonifacio and LHP Matt Strahm from Triple-A Omaha. To make room for the duo the Royals optioned INF Raul Mondesi and OF Paulo Orlando to Triple-A. ... Texas RHP A.J. Griffin, who was slated to start Saturday, was put on the 10-day disabled list because of gout in his left ankle. The Rangers are undecided on a Saturday starter