Kansas City Royals 6, Texas Rangers 3

Poor pitching dooms Rangers in disappointing road loss.

The Texas Rangers couldn't get much of anything going Tuesday night in Kansas City, losing 6-3 to the Royals. The loss dropped Texas to 80-55, three and a half games ahead of the Oakland A's for first place in the AL West. Kansas City improved to 61-74.

Photo not provided by the Texas Rangers, Kansas City Royals

The Royals, pictured here, had a smashingly fun time dominating the Rangers, don't you know

Rangers starter Matt Harrison struggled, allowing five runs on eight hits over just four-plus innings. Harrison, who has given up twelve runs in his last two abbreviated starts, fell to 15-9 on the season with a 3.37 ERA.

Royals starter Jeremy Guthrie was considerably better, giving up just two runs over seven innings and improving to 4-3.

Texas opened the scoring in the top of the first when Elvis Andrus hit a solo home run, his third of the season, to make it 1-0 early. In the second, Mitch Moreland hit a two-out double that scored Geovany Soto to make it 2-0, but was thrown out attempting to take third to end the inning.

Kansas City then took control, scoring two runs in the third and three more in the fifth to chase Harrison from the game, and #9 hitter Johnny Giavotella belted a solo home run in the sixth to make it 6-2 Kansas City.

Texas scored in the top of the ninth when Josh Hamilton led off with a walk, advanced to third on Adrian Beltre's single and then scored on Michael Young's one-out sacrifice fly. David Murphy grounded into a fielder's choice to end the game.