Rangers 4 - 2 Royals
Final
  for this game

Royals aim to regroup vs. Rangers

Jun 6, 2015 - 2:19 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - With an eight-game road trip in the offing, the Kansas City Royals are desperate to regain that winning feeling as they play the middle test of a three-game set against the Texas Rangers this afternoon.

While the Royals are still just one game off the pace in the American League Central, trailing only the Minnesota Twins for first place in the division, the club has hit a rough patch in the schedule. With the 4-0 shutout in the series opener on Friday, Kansas City has now lost two straight and eight of the last 10 on the schedule.

Luckily, the Royals have managed to stay afloat after having the best record in baseball only two weeks ago, but that is quickly becoming a distant memory.

"We just don't have really much going on right now," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "We're just trying to stay focused and get something going."

On Friday, Alex Rios, Mike Moustakas, and Eric Hosmer each singled for Kansas City, accounting for the team's entire offense during their third shutout of the campaign and first in more than five weeks.

Starting pitcher Edinson Volquez was saddled with the loss as he gave up four runs on six hits and three walks, striking out six over 5 1/3 innings.

Texas hurler Chi Chi Gonzalez went the distance for his second victory, walking two and fanning a pair in just his second major league start.

The last time a Rangers pitcher threw a shutout and allowed three hits or less it was turned in by Doug Davis on April 11. 2002.

"We're definitely in a rut, but you can't take anything away from [Gonzalez's] performance. He threw a complete-game shutout. Didn't really walk many people, was firing strikes."

Elvis Andrus and Mitch Moreland both supplied a pair of hits and scored once for the Rangers, winners of two straight and seven of the last 10 in order to take over second place in the AL West. Robinson Chirinos knocked in a pair as well.

Shooting for just his third win of the campaign when he takes the hill for the Rangers will be Wandy Rodriguez. While the left-hander has won only two of his last six appearances, Texas has come out on top in four of those outings.

The most recent appearance for Rodriguez took place on Sunday when he scattered nine hits, leading to three runs -- two earned -- and struck out four over the course of 5 2/3 innings. Although he failed to factor into the decision, the Rangers still came away with the 4-3 win over Boston at home.

Rodriguez, who has spent the bulk of his career in the National League with Houston and Pittsburgh, has a record of 0-2 with a 4.15 ERA versus the Royals all-time.

As for Kansas City, the host has penciled in Yordano Ventura to counter Rodriguez. The right-hander, now in his third major league campaign, has a career mark of 2-1 with a 3.72 ERA in three showings versus Texas.

Last weekend Ventura permitted just a single run on four hits and a walk, striking out six over seven innings, but he came away with a no-decision and the team suffered a 2-1 loss against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Since putting up back-to-back victories against the White Sox and Angels in early April, Ventura has won just once in eight subsequent outings.

Kansas City continues to have the top batting average in the AL at .271, although it has also played the fewest games of any team in the league heading into the weekend.






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