ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Delino DeShields is stuck in a crowded platoon for playing time in left field. In one of his rare starts for the Texas Rangers so far this season, he had the biggest hit.

DeShields had an RBI single with one out in the 13th inning, sending Joey Gallo home from second base as the Rangers beat the Kansas City Royals 1-0 on Thursday night, the deepest a game has ever gone in the Texas ballpark before a run was finally scored.

“Joey had a great at-bat … I wanted to be able to be the one to get the job done,” said DeShields, who started for only the fourth time this season, the third time in left.”

It was only the third game in the 24 seasons of the Rangers’ ballpark to go to extra innings scoreless. This was the longest of those games, all 1-0 wins for Texas.

Gallo pulled a double into the right-field corner off Travis Wood (0-1), the third Royals reliever after starter Danny Duffy went 7 1/3 innings. DeShields, just 1-for-13 on the season to that point, then hit a sharp single to left on the 10th pitch of his at-bat — only a few pitches after slicing a ball just foul down the right-field line.

“I felt like I was on everything. If anything, he probably didn’t know what to throw. He probably thought he could get lucky or something,” DeShields said. “I was locked in.”

Gallo’s double was the first hit for Texas since Jonathan Lucroy’s leadoff double in the fifth.

“He is going to strike out some, but that was a big at-bat for him,” manager Jeff Banister said. “Every time he steps up to the plate there is a competitiveness in him that he wants to get a job done.”

That was also the first hit in the game since Royals leadoff hitter Alex Gordon’s one-out single in the eighth.

“I think what you saw tonight was two struggling offenses facing off against some pretty darn good pitching, on both sides,” Royals manager Ned Yost said.

Kansas City (7-8) has scored a majors-worst 41 runs so far this season.

While the Rangers (6-10) have now scored 73 runs, the two-time defending AL West champs have an AL-low .206 batting average and were coming off a 3-6 West Coast Road trip that dropped them to the bottom of the division standings.

Dario Alvarez (1-0), the seventh Texas pitcher, struck out three in two innings after walking the first batter he faced on four pitches.

Andrew Cashner , the first Texas-born Rangers starter since 2008, pitched six innings in his first home start. Six relievers then combined for 11 strikeouts and one walk while allowing only one hit over seven innings.

LONG SCORELESS

In those other extra-inning home wins for Texas after being scoreless through nine innings, Robinson Chirinos had an RBI single in the 12th inning to beat the Houston Astros on April 11, 2014; and Rusty Greer’s RBI single in the 11th inning was the difference in a win over Toronto on Aug. 25, 2000.

GOOD PITCHING OR BAD HITTING?

“It’s a little bit of both,” Royals 3B Mike Moustakas said. “Obviously they’ve got some good arms and they’ve got some good pitchers over there. … When your pitchers give you that kind of performance, we’ve got to do whatever we can to tack one across.”

NOT MUCH AT THIRD

Before Gallo scored, the only runner to reach third base had been Lucroy. The Texas catcher advanced to third on a deep flyout by Carlos Gomez before getting stranded there in the fifth.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Yost said OF Jorge Solor, who strained his oblique muscle during the final week of spring training, is close to starting a rehab assignment in the minor leagues.

Rangers: 3B Adrian Beltre took some grounders and his throws to first base were caught by Banister. “He looked much better today than last time he went through this exercise,” the manager said. … Demoted closer Sam Dyson, on the 10-day DL with a bruised right hand, threw a simulated inning.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Nate Karns has a 1.54 ERA through his first two starts, allowing two earned runs in 11 2/3 innings without getting a decision in either of those games.

Rangers: Cole Hamels makes his fourth start of the season still without a decision. The lefty has exited all of his starts in position for a win, but the Rangers have lost each of those games.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jason Vargas has a new ligament holding together his crucial left elbow.

He’s getting the same spectacular results.

The veteran dazzled for the third straight start, the Royals finally scored off Giants ace Madison Bumgarner and Kansas City beat San Francisco 2-0 on Wednesday night to split their two-game set.

It was the 12th straight start Vargas (3-0) had allowed two runs or fewer, extending his own franchise record for a left-hander. And it’s a streak that began prior to Tommy John surgery that kept him on the sideline until the tail-end of last season, when he returned as if nothing was amiss.

“I think he’s even better now,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “I think his command is better. I think the action is as sharp as can be. I think he’s pitching fantastic.”

Vargas scattered four hits over seven innings with nine strikeouts and no walks before turning it over to Joakim Soria, who pitched a perfect eighth. Kelvin Herrera worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth to earn his third save and wrap up a 5-3 homestand for the Royals.

“It’s definitely nice to see some results for the work that’s been put in,” said Vargas, who is also unbeaten in his last eight home starts. “My command has been really good thus far.”

Bumgarner (0-3) matched Vargas pitch for pitch until the fifth, when Paulo Orlando managed a one-out single. He stole second, took third on a groundout and went home when Mike Moustakas hustled down the line to beat out an infield hit, his first with runners in scoring position this season.

That ended Bumgarner’s streak of 18 scoreless innings against the Royals, dating to the 2014 World Series opener. That run of dominance included a brilliant start later in the Series and five innings of scoreless relief in Game 7, when Bumgarner earned the save that finished the championship.

“I felt like I made pretty good pitches. I just missed here and there,” he said. “I had a lot of traffic I had to work through. It was just one of those days where I had to grind it out.”

Bumgarner allowed one run, seven hits and a walk while striking out four but was done in by another poor night by San Francisco’s offense. The lanky left-hander has only received five total runs of support in his first four starts, including one run or none in three of them.

Salvador Perez added an RBI single in the eighth, the third run surrendered by Giants relievers in the past nine games, and one that gave Herrera some breathing room in the ninth.

“We just couldn’t score a run,” Giants bench coach Ron Wotus said. “We couldn’t get a key hit tonight and they did.”

STATS AND STREAKS

Vargas is 3-0 for the first time since his 2005 rookie season with the Marlins. … Herrera has pitched 19 2/3 scoreless innings in interleague play dating to June 18, 2015. … Human attendance was 24,402 and canine attendance was 382 for “Bark at the Park.” … Eight of the Giants’ 10 losses this season have been by two runs or fewer.

NICE SOUVENIR

Giants DH Buster Posey gave a fan a nice keepsake when he whiffed on a pitch in the seventh and his bat flew from his hands. It wound up finding a hole in the netting behind the plate and struck a fan, and Posey motioned to him to keep it. Posey proceeded to strike out.

GIANTS LOOK AHEAD

Wotus said manager Bruce Bochy is still on track to rejoin the team Friday night in Chicago. Bochy missed the series after a minor heart procedure. Wotus also said Posey would likely return to catching Friday after coming off the concussion list and spending two games as the DH.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Giants OF Mac Williamson (quad) began a rehab assignment at Class A San Jose on Wednesday, while OF/1B Michael Morse (hamstring) was batting cleanup as the DH.

UP NEXT

San Francisco gets a day off Thursday before RHP Johnny Cueto takes the mound to begin a three-game series at Colorado. Cueto has won his first three starts this season.

Kansas City LHP Danny Duffy tries to improve to 3-0 in the opener of a four-game series at Texas on Thursday night. Duffy has 17 strikeouts through 20 innings this season.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Joe Panik hit an RBI single with two outs in the 11th inning, and the San Francisco Giants beat the Kansas City Royals 2-1 on Tuesday night to begin their two-game interleague set.

Nick Hundley doubled off Scott Alexander (0-1), the Royals’ fifth reliever of the night, before Panik’s sharp liner dropped in front of center fielder Lorenzo Cain to score the go-ahead run.

Derek Law (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings of relief for San Francisco, and Mark Melancon struck out Raul Mondesi with runners on first and second in the 11th for his third save of the year.

The Giants, back at Kauffman Stadium for the first time since their 2014 World Series triumph, were without manager Bruce Bochy, who underwent a minor procedure to correct his heart rhythm.

Bochy is expected to return to the team Friday at Colorado.

The Royals had several chances to end the game earlier, leaving the bases loaded in the eighth, two aboard in the ninth and two more on base when Eric Hosmer grounded into a double play in the 10th.

San Francisco also left two runners aboard in the 10th when Buster Posey, fresh off the seven-day concussion list, struck out. Posey already had three hits on the night.

The Giants’ Matt Cain and the Royals’ Jason Hammel waged a nip-and-tuck duel of starters, each taking advantage of double plays and nifty defense to escape sticky situations.

Cain left two aboard in the first, and also stranded runners in the second and fourth, before he threw a mistake that Whit Merrifield deposited into the right-field seats. Cain walked the next batter, but set down the next seven to leave after seven innings with the game knotted at 1.

Hammel was perfect through four before getting into trouble in the fifth, then allowing Hunter Pence’s run-scoring single in the sixth. He got through that inning and allowed the first two batters to reach in the seventh, but relievers Peter Moylan and Travis Wood bailed him out of that fix.

BOCHY RECOVERING

Bochy said in a text message to The Associated Press that he was doing well following the procedure in San Diego. Bochy also underwent a heart procedure in February 2015 and was hospitalized last summer with an undisclosed illness. Bench coach Ron Wotus filled in for him in Kansas City.

POSEY RETURNS

Posey was experiencing concussion-like symptoms after he took a 94 mph fastball off the helmet from Arizona’s Taijuan Walker last week. The Giants cleared space on the roster for him by designating backup catcher Tim Federowicz for assignment shortly after batting practice.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals OF Jorge Soler (left oblique strain) felt some tightness on Saturday and his rehab work was shut down for a couple days. He resumed swinging before Tuesday night’s game.

UP NEXT

Giants LHP Madison Bumgarner makes his first start at the K since Game 7 of the 2014 World Series, where he memorably pitched in relief to help San Francisco close out the series.

Royals LHP Jason Vargas tries to continue his hot start. He is 2-0 with a 0.66 ERA in his first two outings, and tossed 7 2/3 scoreless innings against Oakland his last time out.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ian Kennedy threw 111 pitches over eight scoreless innings and got a no-decision. Kelvin Herrera threw eight pitches in one inning and picked up the win.

Alcides Escobar hit an RBI single in the ninth over a five-man infield and the Kansas City Royals edged the Los Angeles Angels 1-0 Sunday for their fourth straight win.

Kennedy pitched two-hit ball and struck out 10 over eight innings as Kansas City sent the Angels to their fifth loss in a row.

“My fastball command was down,” Kennedy said. “It was up when I needed it to. All my misses were down. When I needed to go up, it was there.”

Kennedy didn’t allow a hit until C.J. Cron’s double with two outs in the fifth. Cliff Pennington singled with two outs in the eighth for the Angels’ other hit.

“That’s a tough lineup to navigate through,” Kennedy said. “They have two of the best three-and-four hitters you’ll face in a year with (Mike) Trout and (Albert) Pujols.”

Kennedy struck out 10, his 13th double-figure strikeout game, and walked two. He entered the game with an 0-4 record and 6.55 ERA in five career appearances against the Angels.

“He threw the ball well, he kept the ball down, and obviously he kept us off-balance,” Pujols said. “That’s pretty much it. Both sides threw the ball well.”

Salvador Perez led off the ninth with a single against Blake Parker (0-1), and pinch runner Raul Mondesi stole second and went to third on a wild pitch.

After pinch hitter Mike Moustakas walked, Cam Bedrosian relieved and Paulo Orlando fouled out. Escobar followed with his game-winner.

With the Angels using a five-man infield and two outfielders playing shallow, Escobar lofted a single to right-center over Trout’s head.

“I was trying to elevate the ball,” Escobar said. “I’m trying to get a fly ball in that situation. I’m looking for one pitch and I hit the ball good.”

Herrera (1-0) threw a flawless ninth.

Angels left-hander Tyler Skaggs, who had an 8.71 ERA in his first two starts, threw seven shutout innings, giving up four hits and striking out nine. He allowed three hits and walked one in the first two innings.

“I don’t know if impressive is the right word, but he definitely made some adjustments,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “I think that if he can carry that rhythm over, you’re going to see a guy that can do what he did today on a consistent basis. Getting his pitches in the zone; his process was great. He changed speeds. So, that was a terrific outing.”

In the past four games, Royals starting pitchers Jason Vargas, Danny Duffy, Nathan Karns and Kennedy have a combined 0.63 ERA, allowing two runs on 13 hits over 28 2/3 innings.

PERFECT ON CHALLENGES
The Royals, under the guidance of replay specialist Bill Duplissea, are 5 for 5 in challenges this year. Duplissea won 27 of 39 challenges last year, a 69.2 percent success rate that topped the majors.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Angels: RHP Huston Street (right lat strain) is playing catch, but is likely three weeks to a month away from returning. Street was injured in his first spring training outing.

Royals: OF Jorge Soler (left oblique strain) had a setback in his rehab, feeling tightness after batting practice Saturday. He has been backed off a couple of days from activity.

UP NEXT

Angels: RHP Jesse Chavez will start Monday at Houston as they continue this trip. He is 3-1 with a 2.90 ERA in 23 career games against the Astros.

Royals: Off Monday before hosting San Francisco to open a two-game series Tuesday. Royals RHP Jason Hammel will start the first game.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jason Vargas carried a shutout into the eighth, the Royals finally generated some early offense and Kansas City held on to beat Oakland 3-1 on Thursday night and snap an eight-game skid against the A’s.

Vargas (2-0) scattered four hits and a walk over 7 2/3 innings, striking out eight, in his second straight crisp performance. The left-hander only allowed one runner to reach second base in his longest outing since Aug. 13, 2014, when Vargas shut out the Athletics at Kauffman Stadium.

Kelvin Herrera served up a homer to Rajai Davis and a double to Jed Lowrie in the ninth, but bounced back to retire the next three batters and earn his first save.

Lorenzo Cain and Salvador Perez drove in runs off A’s starter Jesse Hahn (0-1) in the first, and Brandon Moss added a lazy sacrifice fly in the third. The three runs matched what Kansas City’s scuffling offense had managed in losing the first two games of the series.

Hahn settled down to last six innings, allowing six hits and two walks with seven strikeouts.

Vargas missed most of last season following Tommy John surgery, but he pitched well in the handful of starts he made late in the year, leaving the Royals optimistic about his spot in the rotation.

He also doubled down on his conditioning while his elbow was recovering, and arrived to training camp leaner and more athletic. And that paid off in the seventh inning, when Vargas deftly leaped off the mound to snare a hard bounder and start a double play to escape his only real jam.

Things weren’t nearly as tidy for the A’s, who committed two more errors in the series finale. They came into the game tied for the American League lead with nine, and have committed at least one error in seven consecutive games — matching their longest streak from last season.

The Royals became the last team in the big leagues to commit an error of their own when Alcides Escobar booted a grounder with two outs in the eighth. Vargas was lifted afterward to a standing ovation, and Joakim Soria promptly got Marcus Semien to ground out and end the inning.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Oakland RHP Sonny Gray (lat strain) threw two 15-pitch stints to batters prior to the game and had no issues. A’s manager Bob Melvin said Gray will throw three innings Monday at extended spring training and could rejoin the Oakland rotation by the end of April.

YOST’S TAKE

Royals manager Ned Yost said he’s not worried that fans are antsy about his club’s poor start. “It just shows when they panic, they care about you and they want to win,” he said. “That’s fine.”

UP NEXT

Oakland RHP Kendall Graveman will try to start the season with three straight wins when he faces Houston on Friday night. It’s the start of a 10-game homestand for the A’s.

Kansas City sends LHP Danny Duffy to start a three-game series against the Angels on Friday night.

— Associated Press —