Jack Leiter matched a career high with 10 strikeouts over 5 2/3 scoreless innings, while Josh Jung and Ezequiel Duran recorded two-RBI hits, as the Texas Rangers completed their three-game, home series sweep of the scuffling Kansas City Royals with Sunday’s 6-3 victory at Arlington, Texas.
Leiter (3-4) didn’t allow a hit until the fourth inning, and only two more, plus two walks, to keep the Royals at bay while falling just shy of a quality start. Offensively, his Texas teammates staked him to a 4-0 lead after one inning.
The Rangers totaled 22 runs during their perfect three-game series after scoring only 23 in losing six of seven entering this set. Texas has won three in a row for the first time since recording its only other series sweep of the season, versus Seattle from April 6-8.
Meanwhile, Kansas City’s Michael Wacha (4-3) had his run of five straight quality starts end while allowing six runs, eight hits and four walks over five innings. Michael Massey clubbed a two-run homer in the eighth and scored via Lane Thomas’ single one inning earlier for the Royals, who have lost six in a row and 16 of the last 19.
The Rangers wasted no time getting to Wacha, who matched his runs-allowed total from the previous two starts in the first inning of his 300th career start Sunday.
Josh Jung roped a one-out double, but after Wacha fanned Brandon Nimmo, he walked Jake Burger. Duran then sent a drive that turned around left fielder Isaac Collins and went for a two-run triple. An RBI single from Alejandro Osuna and Kyle
Higashioka’s run-scoring single capped the breakout first for Texas.
The Rangers added on in the fourth against Wacha. Higashioka recorded his second hit of the game and went to second on Nicky Lopez’s infield single. Both eventually scored when Jung singled to center field for a 6-0 Kansas City lead.
The Royals have lost eight of their last nine road contests.
