 allowed both runs. He yielded six hits and a hit batter, striking out seven for his fifth straight quality start.The Rangers have won four of five, improved to 19-9 at home and moved two games over .500 at 29-27.Gallo broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning, hitting a 1-0 pitch from Homer Bailey (4-6) over the home bullpen in right-center for his 17th homer of the season, good enough for a tie with four others for the American League lead. On Friday night, Gallo hit a grand slam in the sixth inning in a 6-2 win over the Royals.Bailey gave up four runs on six hits and two walks in 3 2/3 innings for his fourth straight start without a victory. He allowed only a first-inning single to Nomar Mazara before Hunter Pence led off the fourth with an opposite-field ground single to right ahead of Gallo's homer.The Royals have lost five of their last six games and have the worst road record in the majors at 8-22. Kansas City left seven runners on base and was 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position.Martin Maldonado and Cam Gallagher, who replaced Maldonado behind the plate in the sixth inning, had RBI doubles. Maldonado was pulled as a precaution with right forearm tightness.Pence and Kansas City's Whit Merrifield each had two hits for the second straight game.SHORT HOPSRangers C Jeff Mathis had a sacrifice fly for his third RBI of the season in 31 games, his first since April 24. ... Five of Texas' six hits off Bailey were by left-handed hitters. The 33-year-old right-hander entered the game holding left-handed batters to a .213 batting average. ... Merrifield has hits in 10 of his last 11 games. ... Maldonado has a .327 career batting average at Globe Life Park. ... Texas placed RHP Jeanmar Gomez on unconditional release waivers after designating him for assignment last Sunday.TRAINER'S ROOMRoyals: 3B Hunter Dozier (right thorax tightness), who left Thursday's series opener in the fifth inning, probably won't return before Tuesday.UP NEXTRoyals: RHP Brad Keller (3-6, 4.56) leads the AL with 42 walks. Keller allowed only one last time out - but also 10 hits - in giving up four runs in six innings in a loss to the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday.Rangers: RHP Adrian Sampson (3-3, 4.53) has won his last three outings, each following an opener. Sampson will make his first true start since May 12 and sixth of the season.---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports)
Lynn looks to ride momentum as Rangers host RoyalsFLMAs the calendar flips to June, the Texas Rangers' Lance Lynn has a chance to build on a solid month of May that included a stellar performance against the Kansas City Royals.The right-hander aims for another strong outing against the Royals on Saturday in the continuation of a four-game set at Arlington, Texas.Lynn (6-4, 4.66 ERA) leads all Texas pitchers in wins. After giving up five runs and a season-high five walks in six innings in a victory over Toronto on May 4, he walked just six and posted a 3.00 ERA while splitting his four starts over the rest of the month."Every time he goes out there, he gives us a chance to win," manager Chris Woodward told the Rangers' official website after Lynn yielded three runs and struck out 10 over six innings despite taking the loss in a 6-2 defeat at Seattle on Monday.One of Lynn's best efforts of 2019 came at Kansas City on May 16. He gave up a run, six hits and a walk through seven innings of a 16-1 rout of the Royals. Overall, Lynn is 3-2 with a 4.56 ERA in eight career starts against the Royals."Lance is a warrior, man. He's a bulldog," Woodward said after the start at Kansas City. "He has been doing a really good job of mixing up his pitches, and it's fun to watch." Lynn will try to guide the Rangers to a second straight win after they evened the series with a 6-2 victory Friday. Joey Gallo clubbed his first career grand slam to highlight a six-run sixth inning as Texas won for the third time in four games after losing three in a row.The homer was Gallo's 16th of the season but just his third hit in 22 at-bats over his past seven games. One of Gallo's home runs this season came against the Royals' scheduled Saturday starter, Homer Bailey (4-5, 5.79 ERA).Bailey opposed Lynn last month and was tagged for six runs (five earned), eight hits and four walks in 4 1/3 innings. It was Bailey's only time facing Texas, leaving him with a 10.38 ERA vs. the Rangers.Bailey then gave up five runs in just 1 2/3 innings in his next start at St. Louis on May 22. However, the veteran right-hander appeared set for a bounce-back while yielding a run in 4 1/3 innings against the Chicago White Sox on Monday, but the game was delayed and eventually suspended due to rain.Third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert, called up earlier Friday, homered in his first at-bat of 2019 for Kansas City, which has lost seven of nine. Cuthbert, 26, hit .274 with 12 homers in 2016 but just .215 with five home runs over the past two seasons before beginning this year in the minors.He batted .310 with eight homers and 35 RBIs in 51 games for Triple-A Omaha this season."I'm just happy to be back," Cuthbert told the Royals' official website. "Sometimes you're struggling in your career, you learn from it and try to get better, and I want to make the most of the opportunity I'm getting right now." Kansas City's Alex Gordon, who had an RBI triple on Friday, was 10-for-19 lifetime against Lynn prior to going hitless in three at-bats against him on May 16.--Field Level Media
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