Maikel Garcia had a three-run home run and a clutch RBI triple to help the visiting Kansas City Royals to a 6-3 win over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday.
The Royals, who carried a six-game losing streak into this three-game set, have taken the first two games to clinch their first series victory since winning two of three May 16-18 in San Francisco.
Kansas City’s Kris Bubic (6-4) bounced back from his worst performance of the season by allowing three runs while scattering nine hits. Bubic walked one batter and struck out six before leaving with one out in the sixth.
Carlos Estevez, the fifth Kansas City pitcher, threw a perfect ninth inning to earn his 20th save. Garcia added a single and two runs to pace the Royals’ seven-hit attack.
Rangers starter Patrick Corbin (4-6) allowed a season-high four runs on six hits and two walks over five innings while striking out four. The outing snapped his career-high streak of giving up three or fewer runs at 12 starts.
The Rangers, who entered this series on a four-game winning streak, lost despite racking up 12 hits. Sam Haggerty and Wyatt Langford had three hits each and Adolis Garcia added two.
Texas jumped to the front in the first as Haggerty opened the inning with a triple and scored on Langford’s double. Langford sprinted home on Adolis Garcia’s two-out single to stake Corbin to a 2-0 advantage.
That held up until the Royals leapfrogged in front in the third. Kyle Isbel scored on a single by Jonathan India and Bobby Witt Jr.’s single to left field put runners on the corners. Maikel Garcia then launched a three-run homer to left-center to put Kansas City up 4-2.
The Rangers cut into the margin in the fourth as Josh Jung and Jake Burger stroked back-to-back doubles.
Kansas City added a pair of insurance runs in the eighth off reliever Hoby Milner. Witt opened the inning with a walk, went to second on a passed ball by Kyle Higashioka and scored on Garcia’s triple. Garcia scooted home on John Rave’s safety squeeze when Higashioka couldn’t handle Milner’s throw to the plate.
–Field Level Media
