NEW YORK (AP) — Mark Teixeira failed to get in on the fun on Monday. He made up for it a night later.

Teixeira homered and drove in four runs, Adam Warren pitched two-hit ball into the seventh inning and the New York Yankees beat the Kansas City Royals 5-1 Tuesday to send the AL champions to their first three-game skid this season.

Teixeira was the only Yankees’ starter without a hit during their 14-1 rout of Kansas City on Monday, which stopped a six-game losing streak. He had two important extra-base hits as New York won consecutive games for the first time since May 10-11.

“You want to back up a win like yesterday with another good performance,” Teixeira said. “Fourteen runs is nice, but if you lose the next night, you’re kind of back to where you started. Getting two in a row was big for us.”

Warren (3-3) was perfect until Mike Moustakas beat out a hit to second baseman Stephen Drew on the outfield grass in right-center with one out in the fourth. The only other hit he allowed was Paulo Orlando’s first major league homer in the sixth.

Lifted after 6 1/3 innings, Warren struck out five without walking a batter in the best of his 12 big league starts. He’s pitched at least 6 1/3 innings in each of his last three starts.

“I feel like I’m getting more comfortable in this role,” Warren said. “I feel like I’m starting to get on a roll a bit, and I’m starting to get more confidence out there and I feel like I can get deeper in games.”

Teixeira connected off Jason Vargas (3-2) for a two-run shot in the first — giving the Yankees 10 first-inning runs against Kansas City in the series — and doubled in two more in the fifth against Joe Blanton. The switch-hitter has more homers (14) than singles this year (13).

Teixeira advanced to third on the double when center fielder Lorenzo Cain bobbled the ball for an error and scored on Chase Headley’s sacrifice fly, caught by Gold Glover Alex Gordon with a tumbling catch on the sinking liner.

Cain made a leaping catch in front of the wall for the third out of the inning, and Teixeira stood in the dugout with his hand on his head and mouth agape, stunned.

Vargas was activated off the disabled list to make the start, taking the spot of Danny Duffy, who went on the DL Monday with biceps tendinitis. Vargas was on a 75-pitch limit and manager Ned Yost stuck to it, pulling the left-hander after four innings, one pitch over the set ceiling. He struck out six and gave up four hits in his first outing since May 5.

I thought coming back off the DL, he was pretty darn sharp,” Yost said. “Just one pitch, he tried to go down and away and it kind of ran back middle-middle to Teixeira. But six punch-outs in four innings, he threw the ball really well.”

Vargas has not beaten the Yankees in eight starts and nine appearances, dropping to 0-5.

Yankees reliever Dellin Betances extended his streak of not allowing a hit to 31 batters by striking out the side in the eighth. He’s walked two and yielded a sacrifice fly in the run.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: Ace Masahiro Tanaka (wrist tendinitis and forearm strain) is set for his second rehab start for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday. Manager Joe Girardi says, “You want to hear his stuff was sharp and he feels comfortable the next day.”

UP NEXT

Royals: Princeton graduate Chris Young, who turned 36 Monday, will take his 0.78 ERA, lowest among all pitchers with at least 30 innings, into his second start against the Yankees and Michael Pineda in less than two weeks. Young allowed a run and four hits in 5 2/3 innings against New York.

Yankees: Pineda has been hit hard in his two starts since striking out 16 against Baltimore on May 10. He allowed five runs and 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings against the Royals in Kansas City.

WALKING FOR A CAUSE

Former naval officer and retired school teacher Richard Albero completed an approximately 1,150-mile walk in honor of his nephew Gary Albero, who died during the attacks of 9/11, and the Wounded Warrior Project, with a stomp on home plate before the game. Albero began his journey on March 2 at the Yankees’ spring training home in Tampa, Florida. He raised about $27,000 along the way and the Yankees chipped in another $25,000 Tuesday.

BALL TRICK

After Orlando homered a fan threw a ball back onto the field, but it was a batting practice ball. Still, Orlando was able to trade a batting glove, a bat and some signed balls for the real one once the game was over.

PLATE DISCIPLINE

Betances is just the second pitcher to strike out the side in order against Kansas City this season. Jered Weaver did it April 11.

— Associated Press —

NEW YORK (AP) — Brett Gardner got a little silly after hitting the Yankees’ third homer of the first inning, enthusiastically high-fiving his teammates as if he were trying to slap away the memory of a lost weekend of baseball.

A few big hits did the job just fine.

Gardner and Brian McCann each hit a three-run homer and Chase Headley also connected during an eight-run first, and New York romped past the AL Central-leading Kansas City Royals 14-1 Monday to end a six-game skid.

Stephen Drew added another three-run shot off Jeremy Guthrie (4-3) before New York made an out in the second.

“Overall, definitely a much-needed good feeling,” Gardner said.

Slade Heathcott hit his first major league homer in the seventh as the Yankees bounced back from a sweep by Texas. They won for just the second time in 12 games, beating the team that began the day with the best record in the majors.

“Is this real?” Heathcott said of what he was thinking as his ball headed toward the bleachers in right-center.

Guthrie entered 5-10 with a 4.92 ERA against the Yankees, mostly with Baltimore. And this time he was awful. He faced 16 batters and 13 reached, with 11 scoring.

Guthrie, who started Game 7 of the World Series last year, became only the eighth pitcher to give up four homers before getting four outs, according to research going back to 1914 by STATS.

The right-hander also became the third starter to give up at least 11 runs while recording three outs or less, STATS said.

“He didn’t have it,” manager Ned Yost said. “They were just on everything he threw.”

Nathan Eovaldi (4-1) pitched with runners on in all but two of his seven-plus innings. Working on five days’ rest, he allowed eight hits and a run.

The Yankees were outscored 30-15 in a demoralizing three-game series against Texas. Their loss Sunday night dropped them to .500 for the first time since they were 7-7.

They started afresh in a flash.

Gardner led off with a double on Guthrie’s second pitch. Headley sent the next offering deep into the right-field bleachers.

Alex Rodriguez singled and Mark Teixeira walked before McCann hit a liner to right that Paulo Orlando nearly caught with an impressive leap at the wall.

After two outs, Didi Gregorius was hit by a pitch and Heathcott singled. Gardner then connected for an 8-0 lead.

“It was nice because we’ve been through some tough losses, we’ve been through some ugly losses, and to be able to get that type of lead was really nice,” manager Joe Girardi said.

Drew hit his fifth homer in the second. Guthrie just held the new ball out as Yost walked to the mound to lift him.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to May 17, because of left biceps tendinitis. He will be eligible for reinstatement on June 1. … OF Alex Rios (broken hand) is set to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha.

Yankees: OF Carlos Beltran was out of the starting lineup for the second straight day because of flu-like symptoms.

UP NEXT

Royals: LHP Jason Vargas (strained flexor muscle) will come off the DL and slide into Duffy’s slot for his first action since May 5. Vargas is 0-4 with a 6.75 ERA in eight games, seven starts, against New York. Vargas will be on a 75-pitch limit.

Yankees: Adam Warren is set to make his 12th career start and first against the Royals. His previous two starts were the longest of his career, seven and 6 1/3 innings. He lost both.

RARE ROOKIES

Jacob Lindgren made his big league debut for New York, coming in to relieve Eovaldi in the eighth. The left-hander is just the third player from last year’s draft to reach the majors.

Kansas City’s Brandon Finnegan is one of the three. He pitched a career-high three scoreless innings in relief of Guthrie after being recalled from Triple-A on Monday — he likely will be sent back to Omaha on Tuesday. White Sox lefty Carlos Rodon is the third player.

When Lindgren entered the game, he joined Hall of Fame football player Deion Sanders the only two Yankees to make their debuts within a year of being drafted.

“Maybe I should try playing football,” he said.

A LITTLE HELP

Guthrie popped into the dugout about 90 minutes before game time, jersey untucked, looking for New York’s lineup — with Beltran’s health a question, Girardi didn’t provide one until about two hours before the start — but none of his Royals coaches knew it yet. A Yankees beat writer was more than willing to help the starter out, reading it off his notebook.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jeremy Guthrie pitched six shutout innings and the Kansas City Royals beat the Cincinnati Reds 7-1 on Wednesday night.

The Royals tied a club record with 24 consecutive scoreless innings, which was set June 9-12, 1976. That streak ended in the seventh when Brandon Phillips’ two-out double off reliever Ryan Madson scored Zack Cozart.

The Royals, who won for the fifth time in six games, improved to 26-14, the franchise’s best record after 40 games.

The Reds lost their fifth straight, a season high.

Guthrie (4-2) pitched out of a bases-loaded, one-out predicament in the first inning and won his third straight start. He gave up five hits, walked two and struck out three. Guthrie retired 13 on fly balls and two on grounders.

Reds right-hander Jason Marquis (3-4) was pulled after 3 2/3 innings, yielding four runs, four hits, two sacrifice flies, two walks and a wild pitch. In losing his past three starts, Marquis has surrendered 21 hits and 15 runs in 12 1/3 innings for a 15.33 ERA.

Mike Moustakas, who hit .212 last season, had three hits for his 16th multi-hit game to raise his average to .342.

Kendrys Morales and Alex Gordon drove in two runs each. Morales’ 32 RBIs ranks second in the American League.

Phillips had three of the Reds’ nine hits.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: LHP Manny Parra (strained neck), who struck out the side in his only inning Tuesday, will continue his minor league rehab with Triple-A Louisville with another inning on Friday. . LHP Sean Marshall, who has not pitched this season, had season-ending shoulder surgery Wednesday.

Royals: Backup C Erik Kratz (torn left planter fasciitis) will report Thursday to Triple-Omaha for a minor league rehab. . LHP Jason Vargas (flexor strain) will throw a simulated game Friday.

UP NEXT

Reds: RHP Mike Leake, who starts the series opener Friday at Cleveland, gave up a career-high nine runs and three homers in five innings in his previous start, Saturday at San Francisco.

Royals: RHP Chris Young has never beaten the Cardinals, his Friday opponent. He is 0-3 with a 3.65 ERA in five career starts against St. Louis.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Yordano Ventura, Kelvin Herrera and Wade Davis combined on a four-hitter and the Kansas City Royals beat the Cincinnati Reds 3-0 on Tuesday night.

The Royals, who beat the New York Yankees 6-0 on Sunday, logged consecutive shutouts for the first time since Sept. 29-30, 1992, when Dennis Rasmussen and Rick Reed blanked the California Angels.

The Reds have lost four straight, matching their longest streak of the season.

Ventura (3-3), who was 0-3 in his five previous starts since a victory on April 12, allowed four singles, struck out six and walked none. He reached a three-ball count on only four hitters and retired all of them, lowering his ERA to 4.56.

Herrera gave up a walk in the eighth, but nothing else. Davis worked a spotless ninth, claiming his seventh save in as many opportunities.

Mike Moustakas went 3 for 4 with two doubles and drove in two runs. His double in the fifth drove in one run and his seventh-inning double made it 3-0.

Infante, who had two hits, drove home the other run with a two-out single in the second.

Reds right-hander Johnny Cueto (3-4) allowed three runs and nine hits, while walking one and striking out four.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: LHP Manny Parra (strained neck) struck out all three Norfolk batters he faced to begin a minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday. . DH Devin Mesoraco (left hip impingement) did some catching drills. He has not caught since April 12. . LHP Sean Marshall will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery Wednesday. Mets medical director Dr. David Altchek will perform the procedure.

Royals: LHP Jason Vargas (flexor strain) threw a bullpen session Tuesday and is penciled in for a simulated game Friday. . C Erik Kratz (torn left plantar fasciitis) will likely start a minor league rehab assignment at the end of the week.

UP NEXT

Reds: RHP Jason Marquis, who has given up 17 hits and 11 runs in 8 2/3 innings in losing his previous two outings, will start Wednesday.

Royals: RHP Jeremy Guthrie has pitched well in interleague play, going 2-0 with a 2.15 ERA in five outings.

— Associated Press —-

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Edinson Volquez had such violent movement on his fastball Sunday that Royals manager Ned Yost said catcher Salvador Perez actually turned around to ask plate umpire Chris Guccione whether there was anything he could do to help out.

Slide over a bit to offer Guccione a better view? Perhaps frame the pitches longer?

The Yankees probably wish Perez asked whether he could help them out.

Volquez baffled them with three-hit ball for seven innings, Perez homered and drove in two runs and Kansas City rolled to a 6-0 victory, the first time New York had been shut out this year.

“He was fantastic. He had all kinds of movement and action on his fastball,” Yost said. “For the most part, if Eddie’s executing his pitches, he’s going to be very good.”

Volquez (3-3) struck out five without issuing a walk. He never allowed a leadoff man on base, and just one of his three base runners to reach second all afternoon.

“That’s as good as I’ve ever seen him,” Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira said.

The Royals got production from throughout their lineup against Chris Capuano to take the rubber game of their three-game set with the Yankees, whom they face again next week in New York.

Capuano (0-1) made his season debut after rehabbing a quad strain that he sustained in spring training. The veteran left-hander gave up four runs on four hits and two walks, and left New York in a big hole when he was pulled four batters into the third inning.

The loss was the Yankees’ fifth in their last six games.

“It’s certainly not the outing I wanted for my first outing,” Capuano said. “I wanted to try to give the team a little boost heading into the off day, but there were a lot of good things that happened the first three innings to build on for next time.”

Perez gave the Royals all the offense they needed in the second, when he golfed a 3-2 pitch over the wall in left field. For a moment, it looked as if Brett Gardner leaped up to grab it, but a stiff breeze blowing out carried it just far enough.

The Royals put the game away with a big fourth inning.

Lorenzo Cain and Eric Hosmer led off with walks, and Kendrys Morales and Perez followed with back-to-back RBI singles to knock Capuano from the game. Esmil Rogers came in and gave up another RBI double to Omar Infante before getting the Yankees out of the jam.

Paulo Orlando and Alcides Escobar drove in two more runs in the sixth.

Not that Kansas City really needed them.

Working his sinker with a low-90s fastball and paralyzing changeup, Volquez retired the first 11 batters he faced. Alex Rodriguez finally doubled off the wall in the fourth, but the Yankees were unable to get him home. Brian McCann eventually struck out to end the inning.

Volquez also gave up a one-out single to Chase Headley in the fifth, breezed through a perfect sixth, then allowed another single to McCann before finishing off the seventh.

His bullpen tossed two shaky innings to preserve the shutout.

“All my pitches were there today. I was able to throw a lot of strikes, attack hitters, keep the ball down,” Volquez said. “They’re pretty good hitters. I was able to make some good pitches.”

NEGRO LEAGUES SALUTE

The Royals honored the Negro Leagues by wearing throwback jerseys of the Kansas City Monarchs, while the Yankees honored “Mr. Cub” Ernie Banks — who began his career with the Monarchs — with a patch on their sleeve. The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is located in Kansas City.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: 1B Mark Teixeira left the game in the seventh inning with a bruised right big toe. X-rays were negative. Asked whether he would play Tuesday, he replied: “That’s the goal. With the day off tomorrow, it’s well-timed.”

Royals: LHP Jason Vargas (left flexor strain) threw a side session before the game. “He feels really good,” Yost said. “He doesn’t feel anything getting off the mound.”

UP NEXT

Yankees: After its day off, New York heads to Washington for a two-game set beginning Tuesday night. Right-hander Nathan Eovaldi will take the mound for the Yankees.

Royals: The Reds visit Tuesday night to open a two-game set. Yordano Ventura will pitch the opener and fellow right-hander Jeremy Guthrie will start Wednesday night.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — CC Sabathia was told by Yankees manager Joe Girardi that he was done Saturday night after limiting the hot-hitting Royals to one run through seven efficient innings.

“I guess I’m an old man now,” Sabathia said. “He needed to take me out and give me a rest.”

Old man? More like the Sabathia of old.

Backed by homers from Chase Headley and Alex Rodriguez, the former Cy Young winner who had struggled throughout April helped New York to a 5-1 victory over Kansas City, ending the Yankees’ four-game losing streak and evening their three-game series.

“CC has not been a strong pitcher in April for much of his career,” said Girardi, who never thought twice about pulling the big lefty after just 87 pitches. “But look at what he’s done his last few starts. Hopefully he keeps rolling.”

With rain approaching the entire evening, Sabathia (2-5) made quick work of the Royals, who had pounded out 12 runs on 17 hits the previous night. He allowed their lone run on six hits without a walk to win his second straight start.

Headley hit a tiebreaking three-run homer, and Rodriguez added his 10th of the season in the ninth to help the Yankees shake out of their offensive slumber.

Danny Duffy (2-3) lost his third straight start for Kansas City, allowing four runs on four hits and four walks in five innings. It was a modest improvement over the left-hander’s previous two starts, when he’d been hammered for 10 runs in 4 2/3 innings by the Indians and Rangers.

“I know my teammates believe in me. I believe in me. The coaching staff believes in me,” Duffy said. “I know I’m better than these results.”

Both teams squandered opportunities for big innings in the third.

Duffy walked three of the first four Yankees he faced in the frame, and Carlos Beltran’s sacrifice fly made it 1-0. Headley followed with a flyout to end the inning.

The Royals countered with three straight singles off Sabathia to begin their half, including a chopper that Sabathia fielded cleanly but was slow in throwing to first base. Mike Moustakas hit his own sacrifice fly before Lorenzo Cain and Eric Hosmer struck out to end the inning.

Duffy fell into a nice rhythm after his escape, but gave up consecutive two-out singles in the fifth. After going ahead 0-2 on Headley, the Yankees’ third baseman battled back to force a full count, then sent the next pitch sailing into the bullpen in left field.

“We’ve been grinding to score runs,” Headley said. “I was able to get something I could hit.”

Duffy was replaced the next inning by veteran Joe Blanton, who made his first appearance in a big league game since Sept. 3, 2013. Blanton allowed one run the final four frames.

Rain started to fall heavily in the bottom half of the fifth, when Sabathia stranded runners on first and second, before blowing out of the area after about 10 minutes.

Lightning started to flash across the sky in the seventh, but crew chief Bill Welke allowed the game to continue. Yankees relievers Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller breezed through the last two innings to help finish the game before the storms arrived.

“That’s a good team, to be able to come in here and get a win, especially after what they did to us last night,” Sabathia said. “It feels good.”

MORE ON A-ROD

Rodriguez has now driven in 1,991 runs, five shy of matching Barry Bonds for fifth on the career list. His home run was the 663rd of his career.

GOING STREAKING

Hosmer went 0 for 4, snapping his 12-game hitting streak. … Betances has tossed an AL-leading 21 straight innings without allowing an earned run. Miller is second with 17 2/3 innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: RHP Masahiro Tanaka (wrist tendinitis) will throw a bullpen session Monday. If all goes well, he could begin a rehab assignment Thursday.

Royals: Blanton was selected from Triple-A Omaha and Aaron Brooks optioned to the same club. To clear roster space, LHP Brian Flynn (torn shoulder muscle) went to the 60-day DL.

UP NEXT

Yankees: LHP Chris Capuano makes his season debut. He’s been on the DL with a right quad strain that he sustained covering first base in spring training.

Royals: RHP Edinson Volquez has never faced the Yankees at home. He won at old Yankee Stadium in 2008 and lost at their new ballpark last season, both times with other teams.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Lorenzo Cain had a career-high five RBIs, Kendrys Morales drove in three more runs and the Kansas City Royals routed the New York Yankees 12-1 on Friday night.

The Royals scored six times in the sixth inning while knocking Yankees starter Michael Pineda from the game, then cruised the rest of the way to open a three-game set between division leaders by dealing New York its season-high fourth consecutive loss.

Chris Young (3-0) allowed just four hits and two walks over 5 2/3 innings, making another strong case for a permanent spot in the starting rotation. The 6-foot-10 veteran made his third spot start in place of Jason Vargas, who is on the disabled list with a hip flexor injury.

Pineda (5-1), coming off a masterful 16-strikeout performance against Baltimore, only struck out one while matching a career worst with 10 hits allowed. Pineda was responsible for five runs in 5 1/3 innings, matching a season high set in a win over the Orioles last month.

Pineda hung tough through the first five innings, the only damage an RBI single by Cain in the first inning and a sacrifice fly by the Royals outfielder in the fourth.

Brian McCann had a sacrifice fly for New York in the top of the fourth inning.

Everything unraveled for the AL East-leading Yankees in the fifth, though. The Royals sent 11 batters to the plate, pounded out six hits and churned through Pineda and two relievers.

Omar Infante and Paulo Orlando drove in runs to start the onslaught, and Cain added a two-run single off Justin Wilson later in the inning. By the time Morales and Alex Gordon drove in runs, Yankees manager Joe Girardi was probably getting fatigued walking to the mound.

Jose Ramirez, just recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, finally got the Yankees out of the inning. But by then, the AL Central-leading Royals had pushed their lead to 8-1.

The only drama left was whether Mike Moustakas would hit for the cycle.

The Kansas City third baseman tripled, doubled and singled his first three times at bat. He grounded out in the sixth, but brought a crowd of 34,584 to its feet when he sent a fly ball down the left-field line in the seventh that bounced just a few feet from the top of the wall.

He wound up with an RBI double, giving him four hits for the fourth time in his career.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: RHP Chase Whitley (elbow sprain) went on the DL. He will be evaluated again by team physician Christopher Ahmad on Monday before deciding whether to have Tommy John surgery. … RHP Masahiro Tanaka (wrist tendinitis) threw 35 pitches in the bullpen before the game. The Yankees still have not set a date for a rehab assignment.

Royals: RF Alex Rios (fractured hang) continues to hit off a tee, though it’s unclear when he will return. … Vargas played catch before the game. He expects to throw a bullpen session soon.

UP NEXT

Yankees: LHP CC Sabathia (1-5) is coming off his first win of the season at Tampa Bay.

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy (2-2) tries to bounce back from two straight lousy starts.

— Associated Press —

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Alcides Escobar is doing his job leading off for the Kansas City Royals, getting on base, scoring runs and even driving in a few for the top-hitting team in the majors.

Escobar had three hits and accounted for five runs, scoring twice while driving home three, as the Royals beat the Texas Rangers 6-3 on Thursday for a split of the four-game series.

“Having him at the top of the lineup the way he swings the bat, and just what he does in the field, he’s a big part of this team,” said Eric Hosmer, whose two-run homer in the sixth scored the shortstop. “He sets the tone for us. … He’s really got things going right now.”

After going 8-for-16 in the series, Escobar is hitting .318 for the season. He led off the finale with a single and scored when Alex Gordon’s had a shattered-bat grounder to reach on a fielder’s choice. Escobar added a two-run single to make it 3-0 in the fourth, then had an RBI single before Homer’s seventh homer of the season in the sixth.

“People kind of get on him every now and then because he doesn’t take enough pitches, but that’s his style of play. He’s a cut-and-slasher,” manager Ned Yost said. “He’s just been swinging the bat really, really well.”

Royals starter Jeremy Guthrie (3-2) gave up two runs over five innings to win his second consecutive start. He struck out one and didn’t walk a batter, but twice hit Prince Fielder with pitches.

Greg Holland worked the ninth for his seventh save in eight chances, even after consecutive two-out walks.

Ross Detwiler (0-5) is winless in his first seven starts for Texas, which acquired the right-hander from Washington over the winter. Detwiler gave up nine hits and three runs in five innings.

“I’m mostly frustrated with myself,” Detwiler said. “I’m the one not getting the ball where it needs to be. I feel like I’m fighting myself.”

The AL Central-leading Royals loaded the bases for Escobar in the fourth after consecutive singles, a sac bunt and a hit batsman — by the bottom four hitters in the lineup.

Fielder and Delino DeShields each had RBI singles for Texas in the fifth.

EXTRA PITCHES

Hosmer had three hits and an 11-game hitting streak. … Texas leadoff hitter Shin-Soo Choo had three hits, extending his hitting streak to an AL-high 14 games. He is hitting .373 (22 of 59) in May to raise his season average from .096 to .243.

DEBUT RELIEF

Two relievers made their Rangers debuts. Japanese right-hander Kyuji Fujikawa retired all three batters he faced in the eighth after coming off the DL (groin). He signed this winter after a two-season stint with the Chicago Cubs that included Tommy John ligament replacement surgery. Lefty Sam Freeman, the final cut when the Rangers set their opening day roster, gave up Hosmer’s homer in his 1 2/3 innings.

STILL ONLY COUNTS AS ONE OUT

On Adrian Beltre’s popup to short right in the first, Royals second baseman Omar Infante drifted out and right fielder Paulo Orlando came in. As they got closer, Infante put his head down while extending his glove, which became engulfed in Orlando’s glove. It took a moment to determine that Infante made the catch.

UP NEXT

Royals: After a 4-3 trip, the Royals are set for their longest stretch at home so far this season. They have eight home games over 10 days, starting Friday night against the New York Yankees.

Rangers: Texas stays home for three games against Cleveland. Wandy Rodriguez (1-1), who set a franchise record retiring 34 consecutive batters over his last two starts, says he’s good to go for the series opener vs. the Indians after having back spasms in his last start Sunday in Houston.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: OF Alex Rios, who broke a bone in his left hand when hit by a pitch a week into the season, is starting to hit balls off a tee. He has also been throwing, and did some long toss in the outfield before Thursday’s game. Manager Ned Yost says Rios is “definitely make progress” and is on schedule.

Rangers: CF Leonys Martin said his left wrist felt “weird a little bit” after a getting a cortisone injection Wednesday. But he said he felt no pain and was getting better. He initially hurt his wrist diving for a ball in the outfield at Houston last week, and reaggravated that when he got jammed by a pitch at bat Monday night.

— Associated Press —