Ventura's first complete game not enough as Royals fall 3-2
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Yordano Ventura's first career complete game wasn't enough to get the Kansas City Royals their first winning streak this month.
Mitch Moreland's second home run of the game broke a tie in the eighth inning and Cole Hamels earned his 12th win of the season as the Royals lost to the Texas Rangers 3-2 on Thursday night.
The Royals came to Texas to open a four-game weekend series on the heels of a 7-5 home win over the Los Angeles Angels that snapped a four-game losing streak. They're 4-9 since the All-Star break, haven't won consecutive games since June 29-30, and have fallen nine games behind first-place Cleveland in the AL Central.
In Wednesday's win, the Royals snapped an 18-inning scoreless streak. In Thursday's loss, Kansas City managed six hits off Hamels (12-2) and closer Sam Dyson and went 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position.
When Royals manager Ned Yost was asked how his team can emerge from its slump, his blunt answer referred to such struggles at the plate.
"Start stinking hitting," he said. "It's as simple as that. Start hitting and start getting some run production."
Ventura (6-9) allowed only four hits, but three were home runs. That included the second of Mitch Moreland's two shots, both to the opposite field, which broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth inning.
Ventura struck out six and walked only one. He said through a translator that he was able to do with the ball what he wanted, keep it low in the strike zone.
"I hate that the result was what it was, but I thought he pitched a great game," Yost said. "He got out on a couple of pitches but less than a handful. He really stayed within himself."
In Ventura's last six starts, he has five losses and a no-decision. His most recent win came on June 17.
The game was a pitching rematch of the Rangers' 7-4 win in Kansas City last Saturday, with the same pitchers of record. Hamels' 123 pitches on Thursday night were 10 more than his previous high for the year. Since the All-Star break, he's 3-0 with a 0.84 ERA and .190 opponents' batting average.
"He's our front-end guy," Texas manager Jeff Banister said. "I mean, he's our ace. He's the guy that sits in the front of that rotation."
Paulo Orlando's second home run of the season, and first since May 17, was pulled well beyond the 14-foot wall in left field and gave Kansas City a 1-0 lead.
Kansas City broke a 1-1 tie in the fifth when Raul Mondesi's topper to shortstop scored Alex Gordon. Gordon had singled and advanced to third on a blooper to center by Brett Eibner that broke an 0-for-19 streak.
JUST PLAYING AROUND
When Rougned Odor homered off Ventura in the second inning, the two exchanged stares. Both are known to get emotional on the field, but Ventura said they were simply having fun.
"Even though we're not on the same team, I have a good friendship with him," Ventura said through the translator. "It was a bad pitch. Odor is a good fastball hitter, and I missed my location."
SHORT HOPS
The first son of Royals 3B Cheslor Cuthbert was born on Thursday morning in Venezuela. . Texas also didn't have a hit with runners in scoring position because it didn't have an at-bat in such a situation. . The game began after a 35-minute rain delay. It was the second rain delay in three days, an unusual summer occurrence in Arlington.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Royals: RHP Luke Hochevar was placed on the 15-day disabled list with symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome.
Rangers: LHP Derek Holland (shoulder) is expected to throw a bullpen session on Friday. One of the scheduled hitters is RF Shin Soo-Choo (hamstring strain).
UP NEXT
Friday night's game will be a pitching rematch of Sunday afternoon's 2-1 Texas win at Kauffman Stadium in which each starter allowed one run and got a no-decision. Royals RHP Edinson Volquez (8-8) allowed seven hits in six innings, Rangers RHP A.J. Griffin (3-1) four hits in five innings.