Chi Chi, Rangers shut down Royals
KANSAS CITY -- Rangers rookie right-hander Chi Chi Gonzalez tossed a three-hit shutout and Mitch Moreland homered as the Rangers topped the slumping Royals, 4-0, at Kauffman Stadium on Friday night.
The Royals, who two weeks ago had the best record in baseball, now have lost eight of 10.
"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."
Gonzalez was making just his second Major League start -- he had 5 2/3 scoreless innings against the Red Sox last Saturday. This time, Gonzalez had little trouble with a Royals offense that has scored just nine runs in those eight losses.
Video: TEX@KC: Gonzalez pitches shutout in win over Royals
Yost said he would not tinker with the batting order.
"Not right now," he said. "I don't see it right now. The whole club is struggling right now so I don't see any value in that."
Gonzalez, the Rangers' first-round pick in 2013, walked two and struck out two..
Edinson Volquez started for the Royals and gave up four runs in 5 1/2 innings. He gave up six hits, walked three and struck out six. More >
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Choo delivers first RBI: The Rangers got a break in the first inning when Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain missed a diving catch on Delino DeShields' slicing line drive to lead off the game. DeShields ended up with a triple and Shin-Soo Choo brought him home with a grounder to second base. That gave Gonzalez a 1-0 lead before he took the mound.
Video: TEX@KC: DeShields leads off the game with triple
Double play squelches rally: The Royals' only sign of life offensively came in the seventh. Eric Hosmer reached with one out on a bunt single and Kendrys Morales walked. But Alex Gordon went after the very next pitch and rolled into a double play. The ball took a wicked hop on second baseman Hanser Alberto and he bobbled it momentarily. But he recovered and started the inning-ending double play.
"It's frustrating," Cain said. "I know what we can do and as a team we're just not getting it done right now."
Added Hosmer, "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."
Steals key fifth-inning rally: Mitch Moreland started the Rangers three-run sixth with a leadoff home run of of Volquez but a couple of stolen bases were also important. Elvis Andrus singled with one out and stole second. Leonys Martin followed with an infield hit, putting runners at the corners. He then stole second, putting two runners in scoring position and Robinson Chirinos brought them both home with a single to right.
Video: TEX@KC: Rangers swipe four bases in victory
QUOTABLE
"When you are playing in front of 38,000, 40,000, and all you see is a sea of blue, you know you're in their house. To get a good win, fantastic job by our guys." -- Rangers manager Jeff Banister
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
The last Rangers shutout on three hits or less was a two-hitter by left-hander Doug Davis on April 11, 2002.
Rangers break review streak
The Rangers finally won a challenge. Mike Moustakas doubled to left field with one out in the first inning, apparently beating a strong throw from DeShields with a head-first slide. But the Rangers challenged the call, believing that Alberto got the tag down before Moustakas reached second base. The call was overturned. The Rangers had been unsuccessful on 10 straight challenges before getting one overturned for the first time since April 26.
"That changed the whole inning," Gonzalez said. "That changed the whole game. Great throw by DeShields."
Video: TEX@KC: Rangers retire Moustakas after challenge
Emboldened by their success, the Rangers tried another challenge in the seventh. This came after Hosmer reached on an infield single when Gonzalez, fielding a grounder between home and the mound, pulled Moreland off first base with his throw. The Rangers challenged but the call was upheld.
Video: TEX@KC: Hosmer's single confirmed after review
WHAT'S NEXT
Rangers: Left-hander Wandy Rodriguez pitches against the Royals at 1:10 p.m. CT Saturday at Kauffman Stadium. Rodriguez has lost his only two career starts against the Royals, but is pitching against them for the first time since 2012.
Royals: Right-hander Yordano Ventura pitches against the Rangers at 1:10 p.m. CT Saturday at Kauffman Stadium. Ventura gave up five runs in seven innings in a 5-2 loss to the Rangers on May 13.
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