Rangers 1 - 2 Royals
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Rangers seek to extend domination of Royals

May 19, 2011 - 2:35 PM

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(Sports Network) - The Texas Rangers try to continue their recent mastery of the Kansas City Royals this evening when the clubs wrap up a brief two-game set at Kauffman Stadium.

Texas has beaten the Royals all four times the teams have met this season and has won 14 of the last 17 in the series, including 11 of the last 15 games played in Kansas City.

That trend continued in Wednesday's opener, as Adrian Beltre had three RBI and hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the 11th inning, boosting Texas to a 5-4 win. Endy Chavez and Craig Gentry scored twice for the Rangers, who despite going 2-for-17 with men in scoring position and stranding 13 runners, won for the fifth time in their last seven games overall.

Eric Hosmer clubbed the tying homer in the bottom of the ninth, but left the bases loaded in the 10th after flying out, as the Royals suffered their fifth consecutive defeat.

Texas' Alexi Ogando had a strong outing on the mound, allowing four hits and a pair of runs while fanning five over seven innings, while Royals starter Danny Duffy, making his major league debut, walked six batters and fanned four in four-plus frames.

"I feel like I doubled my whole walk total for this whole year," said Duffy. "It was fun. I had a great time, but I didn't come up here to keep my team in the game. I came up here to win. It's a bummer, but I'm going to build on this and learn from this."

Getting the call for the Rangers tonight will be lefty Derek Holland, who is 3-1 with a 4.91 ERA. Holland did not get a decision on Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, but pitched well, allowing two runs and six hits in six innings of a 3-2 loss. It was his fourth straight no-decision.

Holland's last win came against the Royals back on April 22 when he allowed five runs and seven hits in seven innings. He is 1-1 in three games (two starts) against them with a 7.11 ERA.

Kansas City, meanwhile, will rely on right-hander Luke Hochevar, who is 3-4 with a 4.87 ERA. Hochevar lost for the third time in his last four decisions on Friday in Detroit, as the Tigers reached him for three runs and seven hits in six innings.

Hochevar has yet to lose in three starts to the Rangers, going 2-0 with a 4.08 ERA.






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