By MATT PIKE
Despite shuffling around their lineup hoping for a spark, the Kansas City Royals found none as Texas Rangers starter MacKenzie Gore continued his home-field mastery this season with 6.1 shutout innings and the Rangers beat the Royals 9-1 at Globe Life Field.
Gore allowed four hits and walked one. The left-hander is 3-0 in five starts this year at Globe Life Field with a 2.08 ERA. His 1-4 road record comes with a 5.81 ERA. Backing the home win for Gore, Brandon Nimmo, former Royal Nicky Lopez, and Joc Pederson each homered. The Rangers opened up the game with a four run lead, scoring quickly in the bottom half of the opening inning.
With two outs, Texas added the first runs of the game on a two RBI single by Ezequiel Duran. Duran drove in Pederson, who opened the inning with a walk, and Jake Burger after his two out double in the previous at bat. After Evan Carter doubled, continuing the inning, a throwing error by Nick Loftin allowed Duran to score, and another throwing error, this time by Salvador Perez as Alejandro Osuna stole second base, allowed Carter to score.
With the 4-0 lead, in the fifth inning Nimmo hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning off Royals starter Stephen Kolek, who was coming off his second career shutout, to extend the lead scoring Josh Jung. Lopez, who joined Texas on Tuesday, homered in the sixth inning off reliever Steven Cruz for his first Rangers hit after going 0 for 8 to start, driving in Danny Jansen.
In the eighth inning, the Rangers scored their final runs, continuing to pour it on with power, as Pederson pulled a solo shot just inside the right field foul off recently recalled Eric Cerantola. Vinnie Pasqantino ended Kansas City’s string of 23 consecutive scoreless innings with an RBI single in the ninth inning off Gavin Collyer, bringing home Maikel Garcia for the lone run.
The Royals have now lost four straight games, 14 of their last 17, and fell to a season-worst 13 games under .500. Kolek, who took his first loss of the season falling to 3-1, gave up six runs, four earned, in five innings, while striking out five and walking one. At the plate, Garcia and Pasquantino led the way as Kansas City had just six hits, both going 2-for-3 on the day. Garcia scored a run and walked once, while Pasquantino drove in a run and also walked.
Kansas City and Texas continue with the middle game of the series tomorrow. Seth Lugo (2-4, 3.74 ERA, 54 K's) takes the mound for the Royals against Kumar Rocker (2-5, 3.96 ERA, 42 K's) for the Rangers. First pitch is at 3:05pm, pregame will begin at 2:30 on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).
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