By MATT PIKE
The Kansas City Royals continued to find a power surge, mashing three home runs, and beating the Texas Rangers 5-2 on Tuesday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium to extend their win streak to five games in a row and secure at least a split of the four game series.
After the Rangers took the lead in the top of the first on a solo home run by Corey Seager, the Royals tied up the game with the first of their home runs as Vinnie Pasquantino homered for a second game in a row, hitting his 24th of the season with two outs to tie the game up at 1-1 at the end of the first inning.
In the fourth inning, another solo home run from the Rangers, this time off the bat of Joc Pederson, gave Texas the lead back. But two innings later, in the bottom of the sixth, another Royal homered for a second game in a row with Mike Yastrzemski tying the game yet again on a solo home run, again with two outs in the inning, making it a 2-2 game at the end of six innings.
In the seventh inning, with the bases loaded, Kansas City took the lead as Jonathan India was hit by a pitch, driving in Pasquantino. Then in the eighth inning, the Royals scored their final two runs on a two run shot from Bobby Witt Jr, the 18th of the season and 100th in the career of the star shortstop, scoring Yastrzemski. John Schreiber was called on in the ninth for the save, walking one batter, but still earning his first save of the season.
Seth Lugo bounced back from back to back rough starts, pitching 6 1/3 innings and giving up two runs on three hits with five strikeouts and two walks, while earning a no decision. Angel Zerpa earned the win in relief, improving to 4-1 on the season, pitching 1 2/3 innings giving up one hit and walking one.
At the plate, Pasquantino was 2-for-3 with the home run, a double, and an RBI. Witt Jr was 1-for-4 with two RBIs, while Yastrzemski was 1-for-3 with a home run, a walk, and an RBI.
Kansas City and Texas play game three of the series tomorrow. Noah Cameron (7-5, 2.47 ERA) takes the mound for the Royals while the Rangers starter is listed as TBD after Jacob Degrom, who was scheduled to start, was scratched from the start with right shoulder fatigue. First pitch is at 6:40pm, pregame coverage will begin at 6 on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).
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