Wandy Rodriguez pitched seven strong innings and the Texas Rangers defeated the Kansas City Royals 4-2 Saturday for their seventh win in eight games.
Texas has won six straight series for the first time since 2012. The AL champion Royals have lost nine of 11.
Rodriguez (3-2), a 36-year-old lefty who signed with the Rangers in early April after Atlanta released him in spring training, gave up one run and six hits. He walked none and struck out four.
Shawn Tolleson gave up a home run to Salvador Perez in the ninth, but picked up his seven seventh save in as many opportunities.
Yordano Ventura (3-5) continued to struggle early, allowing four runs in the first two innings. He threw 78 pitches and was pulled after the third in his shortest outing of the season.
Ventura has a 6.14 ERA in the first two innings in his 11 starts with opponents hitting .314 off him. He has yielded 15 runs on 27 hits, seven walks and two hit batters in the first two innings.
Ventura gave up six hits, walked two and hit a batter against Texas.
The Royals avoided their second straight shutout when Jarrod Dyson led off the sixth with a double, his fifth straight hit, and scored on Mike Moustakas' single.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rangers: 1B-OF Kyle Blanks (cyst removed) ran the bases before the game and could be activated in the next few days.
Royals: LHP Danny Duffy (biceps tendinitis) threw off the mound Saturday and could begin a rehab assignment next week.
UP NEXT
Rangers: RHP Colby Lewis has an 8.86 ERA in his past four starts, but has won two of them.
Royals: RHP Jeremy Guthrie is 23-11 with a 2.70 ERA with Kansas City in games when he has not allowed a home run. He is 14-18 with a 5.57 ERA when he yields at least one HR.
