Rangers 4 - 0 Royals
Final
  for this game

Rangers' rookie Gonzalez blanks Royals

Jun 6, 2015 - 4:46 AM Kansas City, MO (SportsNetwork.com) - Chi Chi Gonzalez twirled a three-hit shutout in his second major league start, with the rookie's gem leading the Texas Rangers to a 4-0 win over the slumping Kansas City Royals.

After carrying a no-hitter into the sixth inning and firing 5 2/3 scoreless frames in his MLB debut Saturday against Boston, Gonzalez was even better in his sequel. The 23-year-old permitted just three singles and two walks in a 116-pitch masterpiece that sent the surging Rangers to a 13th win in 16 games.

"It's incredible," said Gonzalez. "From pitch 1 to the last pitch, it was just fun."

Robinson Chirinos supported Gonzalez with a two-run single and Mitch Moreland went 2-for-3 with a solo homer to help deal the Royals to an eighth loss in their last 10 outings.

Edinson Volquez (4-4) kept Kansas City in it until being reached for three runs in the sixth. He surrendered all four Texas runs while striking out six over 5 1/3 innings.

"Seven days off took my rhythm off," said Volquez. "I was kind of fighting myself to find the strike zone."

Gonzalez lost this no-hit bid early, as Mike Moustakas singled with one out in the opening inning but was thrown out attempting to stretch it into a double on a successful challenge by the Rangers. The 2013 first-round pick followed with a walk to Lorenzo Cain, then proceeded to retire the next 12 batters before Alex Rios singled with two down in the fifth.

Texas had staked the young righty to a 1-0 edge in an instant, as Delino DeShields tripled past a diving Cain in center field to begin the contest and came home on Shin-Soo Choo's groundout.

Volquez didn't yield another hit until Moreland drove a fastball the other way and over the wall in left to start a big sixth inning for Texas.

Elvis Andrus and Leonys Martin later came through with back-to-back singles and each stole a base in front of Chirinos' single to right, in which Martin just beat Rios' throw home to chase Volquez and give the Rangers a 4-0 advantage.

The Royals put two on against Gonzalez in the seventh, but the rookie induced an inning-ending double-play grounder to Alex Gordon. He set down the side in order in both the eighth and ninth to finish off the impressive shutout.

Game Notes

Gonzalez became only the third pitcher in Rangers history to win his first two big league starts, joining Glen Cook in 1985 and Kevin Brown (1986, 1988) ... The Rangers have won 14 of their last 17 on the road and are 18-11 as the visitor this season, tying a club record for the best road start after 29 games (1977, 1992, 1999) ... Texas rookie sensation Joey Gallo struck out in all four of his plate appearances ... Volquez was handed his first loss since May 2 against Detroit, ending a five-start unbeaten stretch.






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