Rangers Beat Royals
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Adrian Beltre is likely Hall of Fame bound, and if 21-year-old Nomar Mazara keeps hitting like he has in his first 89 games, he would have Cooperstown credentials.
Beltre and Mazara hit home runs and drove in three runs each as the Texas Rangers beat the Kansas City Royals 7-4 on Saturday night for only their third win in the last 13 games.
Beltre homered in a four-run seventh inning with Mazara and Ian Desmond aboard to give the Rangers a 7-1 cushion. It was career home run No. 427, which ties Beltre for 47th on the major league list.
Mazara hit a two-run homer in the fourth and doubled in another run in the fifth.
“It was great to see Nomar like we saw a little spark in Chicago, and saw a little spark in Anaheim and last night how he stung the baseball and tonight none bigger than the home run early,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. “Mazara really was huge the way he’s swinging the bat right now. And Beltre with the big home run to break things open. We were able to create some separation.”
Left-hander Cole Hamels (11-2) picked up the victory, allowing one unearned run and five hits in 5 2/3 innings.
The Royals made it interesting in the ninth, scoring three runs and
loading the bases before Salvador Perez grounded into a game-ending double play.
“The ninth inning didn’t play out exactly the way we wanted to,” Banister said. “Wins have not been as readily available as you would like them. It’s a challenge. These guys gritted it out. (Sam) Dyson came in and the (two) walks, that’s not something we see from him. But it’s a win and we’ll celebrate it.”
Hamels retired Perez on a popup to end the fifth with runners on second and third.
“He’s a good hitter and I understand he’s got a certain game plan and I’ve got to really make good pitches because I don’t have to load the bases up in that situation,” Hamels said. “I was able to just that cutter in enough where he was able to get the good part of the bat on in for that popup.”
The Royals’ first inning looked eerily similar to their first inning Friday — one unearned run and one hit, with Eric Hosmer driving in the run both nights on weak ground balls.
Cheslor Cuthbert laced a double to the right-field corner and wound up on third when the ball skipped past Mazara for his first major league error.
Hosmer grounded out to shortstop Elvis Andrus, scoring Cuthbert, who extended his hitting streak to a dozen games.
Royals starter Yordano Ventura struck out the side in the first on 17 pitches and retired the first nine batters before running into difficulty in the fourth.
“The first three innings were dynamite,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “I mean he just waltzed right through them with 40 pitches, and then 33 in that fourth inning and just started struggling. But, all in all, the only player that hurt him was Mazara.”
Jurickson Profar walked on four pitches to start the inning. Mazara homered on an 0-and-1 pitch to center. It was Mazara’s 12th home run of the season but his first since June 19.
Mazara, who leads American League rookies with 94 hits, doubled home Delino DeShields, who walked to lead off the fifth, giving the Rangers a 3-1 advantage.
The inning ended with Beltre lining a shot clocked at 109 mph off Ventura’s ribs. While he managed to throw out Beltre, Ventura crumpled to the ground and trainer Nick Kenny rushed to his aid. The blow knocked the wind out of him.
Ventura left the field under his own power but did not come out for the sixth. X-rays were negative.
“I’ll get ice and get treatment, and I think it’ll be fine,” Ventura said through an interpreter.
He said he anticipates making his next start.
Ventura allowed three runs and three hits, two of them to Mazara, and four walks in five innings, throwing 33 of his 89 pitches in the fourth inning.
