Gallo, Chirinos double up on HRs vs. KC

ARLINGTON -- A pair of Rangers hit a pair of home runs to back a strong outing from Cole Hamels in a 6-2 win over the Royals on Friday night.
Third baseman Joey Gallo and catcher Robinson Chirinos each blasted two home runs to lead the Rangers offense. Gallo and Chirinos combined for four of the Rangers' six hits.
The Rangers' six runs were more than the four they scored in their previous three games combined. Texas has won two straight after returning home from a 3-6 road trip. The bats grabbed the lead early, and Hamels shut down Kansas City, allowing one run on three hits in eight innings to earn his first win of the season. He struck out three and walked two, lowering his ERA to 2.77

"Being able to get those first-pitch strikes, I know they're an aggressive team, and they've got a lot of power," Hamels said. "Being able to make sure I kept the momentum on my side, I wanted to get quick outs. We were able to get in a good rhythm. It's always good to see what Chirinos and Gallo did. Man, I wish I could hit balls like that. They definitely put on a show. That was fun."

Kansas City has scored only nine runs in the past six games, but the Royals won three of them thanks to outstanding starting pitching. They didn't get that Friday from Nate Karns, who gave up six earned runs in 4 2/3 innings.
• Two batters foil Karns' outing 
"I didn't think he was extremely sharp -- he only gave up five hits, but unfortunately four of them were homers," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "Homers did him in."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Gallo gone-o: In the bottom of the second, Gallo hit the longest and hardest-hit home run in the Major Leagues this year, scoring two and giving the Rangers a 3-1 lead. The ball went 462 feet to right field and was 116.1 mph coming off the bat, according to Statcast™. Gallo now has the two hardest-hit home runs this season, the other at 115.6 mph, tied with Giancarlo Stanton.
"He's staying off chase pitches for the most part," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said, "using the hands much better, staying on his legs and looking for pitches to drive." More >
Hamels holds: Trailing 6-1, the Royals looked to rally with a leadoff walk from Lorenzo Cain in the sixth, but a popout from Eric Hosmer was followed by a 1-4-3 double play started by Hamels off a ball hit by Salvador Perez, quickly ending any threat.
"I thought we hit some balls good -- we couldn't find any holes, but I just think he pitched well," Yost said of Hamels.

QUOTABLE
"I've seen that thing before. In BP, a lot our lefties, we usually hit it over there. The lady working there is always dodging balls in BP. I've seen it." -- Gallo, on the popcorn stand he nearly hit with his 462-foot home run
UPON FURTHER REVIEW
In the seventh inning, the Royals challenged a tag play when Alcides Escobar made an over the shoulder catch and caught Carlos Gómez off first. Gomez was called safe. The play was overturned after a review.

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
The Royals made only their second error of the season when Cheslor Cuthbert dropped a popup in left field in the seventh inning. No other MLB team has fewer than four errors this season. The Royals did make some flashy defensive plays, though, including shortstop Escobar's exceptionally long throw to first to get Jurickson Profar on a grounder in the eighth.

WHAT'S NEXT
Royals: Kansas City's Ian Kennedy is a hard-luck 0-2, but he has a 2.37 ERA and is coming off a gem in which he threw eight scoreless innings and struck out 10 against the Angels when he takes the mound at 7:05 p.m. CT on Saturday. 
Rangers:A.J. Griffin was set to take the mound for the Rangers, but he was scratched ahead of Friday's game because of inflammation in his left ankle due to gout, and Nick Martinez was called up from Triple-A Round Rock to take his place Saturday at 7:05 p.m. CT. Martinez hasn't pitched for the Rangers this season and is 1-0 with a 5.00 ERA in Round Rock.
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