Rangers take loss in N.Y.

ARLINGTON, Texas—Jay Bruce homered twice and the New York Mets scored the tiebreaking run in the ninth inning on a throwing error by second baseman Rougned Odor to beat the Texas Rangers 4-3 Wednesday night.

With two on and two outs, Jose Reyes hit a chopper up the middle against reliever Matt Bush (2-1). Odor fielded the ball but bounced his throw to second while fading away from the bag. Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus was unable to hold on for an inning-ending forceout as pinch-runner Matt Reynolds scored from second base.

Both of Bruce’s homers came off Texas ace Yu Darvish, with the two drives just over the wall by the Mets slugger coming a night after he was robbed of a home run by Jared Hoying’s leaping catch in straightaway center field.

The Rangers tied the game at 3 when Robinson Chirinos hit a two-run homer with two outs in the eighth off Jerry Blevins.

Royals 7, Astros 5

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Jason Vargas tossed five solid innings for his eighth victory, Cheslor Cuthbert drove in three runs and the Kansas City Royals defeated the Houston Astros 7-5 on Wednesday night.

The anticipated pitching duel between Vargas (8-3) and Dallas Keuchel, who have the two best ERAs in the majors, never materialized. Keuchel

was a late scratch with an illness after going out to warm up.

Instead, the Astros started right-hander Dayan Diaz, who was just called up from Triple-A Fresno. Diaz (0-1) gave up three runs and four hits, including Lorenzo Cain’s solo homer, in 2 2/3 innings.

Vargas (8-3), who pitched a shutout against Cleveland in his previous start, allowed two runs on Brian McCann’s home run. He gave up six hits, a walk and hit a batter. Vargas’ ERA inched up from 2.08 to 2.18 in the win, the Royals’ second straight over the Astros.