Vinnie Pasquantino’s home run in the fifth inning broke a tie and helped the Kansas City Royals take a four-game set against the visiting Texas Rangers with a 6-4 win on Thursday.
Starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen gave up four runs (three earned) on nine hits in 4 1/3 innings for the Royals, who are 8-2 in their past 10 games. Angel Zerpa (5-1) held Texas scoreless in 1 2/3 innings to earn the win.
Rangers starter Patrick Corbin gave up four runs on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings.
Pasquantino belted a solo shot to right center off reliever Jacob Webb (4-4) to open the bottom of fifth and put Kansas City in front 5-4.
The Royals added another in the seventh when reliever Danny Coulombe issued a bases-loaded walk that brought in Salvador Perez to make it 6-4.
Down by three, Texas pulled even in the top of the fifth. Corey Seager and Ezequiel Duran each singled to open the frame. Then, with one out, Evan Carter knocked another single to load the bases.
Rowdy Tellez grounded into a fielder’s choice, bringing Seager home and keeping the bases full because of a missed catch by Bobby Witt Jr. Josh Smith’s single drove in Duran and Carter, tying it 4-4.
Witt appeared to hit an inside-the-park home run in the third, but officials ruled it a ground-rule double because of fan interference after the ball bounced up above the wall in left-center field. The Royals challenged, but the ruling on the field stood.
But he’d get the go-ahead run back, scoring on a single from Perez to make it 2-1.
In the fourth, India scored on Tyler Tolbert’s sacrifice fly and Maikel Garcia connected for a single that drove in Nick Loftin to put Kansas City ahead 4-1.
Loftin crushed a solo homer to left field in the second inning to give the Royals a 1-0 lead.
The Rangers responded in the top of the third. Wyatt Langford drew a walk, went to second on Seager’s single, and scored on a Joc Pederson single to center.
Royals outlast Rangers to win four-game series
