Soler, Mondesi homer as Royals knock off Rangers 4-2
ARLINGTON, Texas — Jorge Soler and Adalberto Mondesi homered and Jakob Junis allowed two runs in six innings as the Kansas City Royals snapped a three-game losing streak with a 4-2 win over Texas Rangers on Thursday night.
Junis (4-5) allowed four hits, including homers by Shin-Soo Choo and Nomar Mazara, and two walks for his first win since May 1. The victory follows three losses and a no-decision.
Ian Kennedy worked a perfect ninth inning for his third save, and the first for Kansas City since May 1.
The Royals improved to 8-20 away from Kauffman Stadium, but still have the worst road record in the majors.
Mike Minor (5-4) allowed three runs on seven hits in five-plus innings, matching the most runs he has allowed in his last seven starts. Minor entered the game ranked fourth in the American League in ERA at 2.55, and had given up two earned runs in his previous 30 innings at Globe Life Park.
Soler’s three-run home run struck the foul pole in left field and was his career-best 14th this season. His previous best was 12 homers with the Chicago Cubs in 2016.
Mondesi had his fifth three-hit game of the season.
Choo’s homer was his sixth in the last 12 games and the 199th of his career.
Minor took a four-hit shutout into the sixth inning. After Mondesi left off with a single to left field, left-handed hitting Alex Gordon hit a grounder to the left side against the shift. Third baseman Asdrúbal Cabrera began to field the ball to his left before letting it go through to shortstop Elvis Andrus, whose throw to second base wasn’t in time. Soler then hit a first-pitch fastball at the top of the strike zone.
SHORT HOPS
Mondesi, the majors’ leader in stolen bases with 18, was picked off by the left-handed Minor with an 0-2 count on Hunter Dozier to end the third inning. . Chris Owings, Billy Hamilton and Whit Merrifield each struck out four times. . It was the first game of a season-long 11-game Rangers homestand.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Royals: Dozier left the game after 4½ innings with right-sided thorax tightness, replaced in the lineup by Gordon.
Rangers: CF Joey Gallo (wrist) returned to the lineup after leaving Tuesday’s game at Seattle as a precaution and sitting out Wednesday’s game as previously planned. Gallo went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts and one walk. . OF Scott Heineman (shoulder) was recalled from his rehab assignment at Triple-A Nashville because of soreness.
UP NEXT
Royals: LHP Danny Duffy (3-1, 3.12 ERA) has pitched to a 1.80 ERA in his last five starts against Texas.
Rangers: The parents of RHP Ariel Jurado (1-2, 2.28) will see him pitch as a pro for the first time during their first trip to the United States.
