Behind a solid outing from Bruce Chen, the Royals won their third straight game, taking the first of two games against the Rangers by a 3-1 score.
Chen went 6 2/3 innings, allowing five hits and one earned run — a solo home run by Cruz that gave Texas a 1-0 lead in the fourth. After Texas took the lead, Alcides Escobar hit a two-RBI single in the fifth to give Kansas City a 2-1 lead. Escobar went 1-for-3. In the top of the seventh, Brayan Pena hit into a double play, but it scored a run, extending the lead.
The Royals used four relievers after Chen, but they did their job. Jonathan Broxton gave up one hit in the ninth, but picked up his eighth save. The Royals have won five of their last six games.
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