Urquidy starts rehab assignment

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Astros pitcher José Urquidy, on the injured list since June 30 with right shoulder discomfort, began a rehab assignment Thursday with the club’s Florida Complex Team in West Palm Beach.

Astros manager Dusty Baker said Urquidy was to throw three innings or 50 pitches in his initial rehab start.

Urquidy has missed 40 team games while on the injured list. The righthander departed his June 29 start with right shoulder discomfort, a similar injury to the one that bothered him earlier this season. An MRI revealed no structural damage to his shoulder.

Garcia leads lineup shuffle

Michael Brantley got a break from starting Thursday afternoon, leading to an Astros lineup shuffle behind starting pitcher Luis Garcia in the finale of a four-game series with the Royals.

Brantley grounded out as a sixth-inning pinch hitter and stayed in the game, finishing 0-for-2 in the Astros’ 6-3 10-inning win. He wound up 1-for-13 with an RBI in the series, leaving his MLB-best batting average at .324.

“I see his bat slowing down,” manager Dusty Baker said. “I’ve got to find a way to give him, ( Aledmys) Díaz, Carlos ( Correa) some days off during the next few days in this 13-game-in-a-row streak in order to keep them strong and productive and try to win the games at the same time.”

Utility man Díaz started in left field, his first outfield appearance in 20 games, and Jacob Wilson made his third start at third base and first of the series in Kansas City.

Dawson’s 5 RBIs fuel Skeeters’ win

Ronnie Dawson had four hits, including a homer, and drove in five runs, and C.J. Hinojosa contributed three hits and three RBIs as the Sugar Land Skeeters won the opener of their six-game home series against Oklahoma City with a 9-8 victory Thursday night.

Ronel Blanco surrendered a two-run homer to Zach Reks with one out in the top of the ninth to make it a one-run game but retired the next two hitters to preserve the victory for Sugar Land.