Rangers 3, Royals 1
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Jurickson Profar's two-out home run in the eighth broke a 1-to-1 tie and the Texas Rangers added another to push passed the Kansas City Royals 3-1 on Sunday afternoon.
Profar found a 1-2 pitch from reliever J.C. Gutierrez and sent the ball just over the right-center field wall for a 383-foot game-winning home run.
Elvis Andrus followed up the homer with a line-drive single to center field. After stealing second and advancing to third on the throw, Andrus came home on a single by David Murphy.
The 3-1 lead came after the Royals (23-31) had broken through on the Rangers (35-21) in the eighth to tie the game on an infield chopper by Alcides Escobar to score Alex Gordon
Gordon opened the inning with a lead-off double to right field.
Gordon advanced to third and scored on a chopper to third basemen Jeff Baker. Baker had a chance to get Gordon at home, but his throw was high, allowing Gordon to slide under the tag.
Joe Nathan worked the ninth for the Rangers, striking out the first two runners to earn his 17th save of the season.
Texas' run in the first was all the Rangers could manage off Royals starter Ervin Santana. Santana did not allow a hit until Nelson Cruz singled in the fourth. He struck out six in seven innings pitched and did not allow an earned run.
Yu Darvish, equaling Santana, did not allow an earned run in seven innings. Darvish finished with six strikeouts and two walks.
The Royals missed out on opportunities to cash in against Darvish when they put runners in scoring position in the second and fourth innings.
Billy Butler's walked to begin the second, Mike Moustakas and Lorenzo Cain followed with singles to load the based. Jeff Francoeur lifted a fly ball to center and Butler tested Rangers center fielder Craig Gentry, who threw Butler out at home.
George Kottaras reached on a wild pitch strike three to fill the bases for a second time in the inning. However, Chris Getz flied out to center to end the threat.
Butler walked again to begin the fourth. Moustakas reached when he was hit by a pitch. The pair advanced on a wild pitch two batters later. Again though, the Royals would strand the runners as Darvish retired Kottaras with his second strikeout of the inning.
Following a single in the fifth, Darvish settled in and retired eight consecutive Royals and departed in the seventh with Neal Cotts coming in to relieve.
Notes: 3B Adrian Beltre was left out of the Texas lineup due to a mild left hamstring strain. ... Alexi Ogando is scheduled to return to the Rangers rotation on Wednesday against the Red Sox. Ogando was on the 15-day DL due to right triceps inflammation. ... Both teams are off Monday before beginning its next series. Texas travels to face the Red Sox while the Royals return home to host the Twins.
