ROYALS FLUSHED
Texas skates by Kansas City in 9th for 3-2 win
ARLINGTON, Texas—Mitch Moreland's second home run of the game broke a tie in the eighth inning and Cole Hamels earned his 12th win of the season as the Texas Rangers beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2 on Thursday night.
Hamels (12-2) allowed two runs and six hits in eight innings, matching his longest start of the season. His 123 pitches were 10 more than his previous high for the year. He didn't allow an earned run in his previous two starts, totaling 13 1/3 innings.
Sam Dyson earned his 21st save in 23 opportunities, stranding the tying run at third base.
Rougned Odor also homered for the Rangers.
Both homers by the left-handed hitting Moreland were to the opposite field. It was Moreland's 10th career multi-homer game and second of the season. He has five homers in his last 11 hits.
Yordano Ventura (6-9) threw the first complete game of his career, pitching eight innings. He allowed only four hits, including the three homers. He is 0-5 in six starts since his last win on June 17.
Hamels' 12 strikeouts equaled his Texas high, set last September vs. Seattle. His career high—set with Philadelphia—is 15. The 12 is the most by a Rangers pitcher this season.
Paulo Orlando's second home run of the season, and first since May 17, was pulled well beyond the 14-foot wall in left field and gave Kansas City a 1-0 lead.
Odor's 465-foot homer into the upper deck in right field in the second inning
increased his career-best total to 19 and was the farthest of his career.
Kansas City retook the lead with a run in the fifth when Raul Mondesi's topper to shortstop scored Alex Gordon. Gordon had singled and advanced to third on a blooper to center by Brett Eibner that broke an 0-for-19 streak. Moreland then homered in the bottom of the fifth.
Neither team had a hit with runners in scoring position. Kansas City was 0 for 11 while Texas didn't have an at-bat in that situation.