Kinsler, Rangers hang on to down Royals

Baseball Betting Lines

09/05/2007 - Arlington, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ian Kinsler finished 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and two RBI as Texas hung on to edge Kansas City, 9-8, in the second of three between the clubs.

Jason Botts collected three hits, drove in two and scored once for the Rangers, who have won three of four. Brad Wilkerson homered and drove in a pair of runs, while Jarrod Saltalamacchia homered and Marlon Byrd also knocked in a run.

"He needed a game like this," said Rangers manager Ron Washington of Botts. "Tonight he showed some bat speed. It was good for his confidence. He really swung the bat tonight."

John Reinecker (2-1) earned the win by pitching a scoreless seventh inning. Starter Kevin Millwood yielded eight hits and six runs with seven strikeouts and three walks over five full innings in the no-decision.

Royals reliever Leo Nunez (2-3) took the loss. He was charged with three hits and two runs in one-third of an inning in relief of Billy Buckner, who in his major-league debut, was tagged for six runs and seven hits in four innings.

Jason Smith hit a three-run homer and drove in four for the Royals, who have dropped three of five. Mike Sweeney had three hits, scored twice and drove in a run, Mark Teahen collected two hits and an RBI, and both Mark Grudzielanek and Esteban German knocked in a run.

After letting Kansas City rebound from a five-run deficit, the Rangers struck back with two runs in the seventh.

Kinsler led off with a single and moved up one base on Michael Young's base hit. He then stole third, and a bad throw by catcher Jason LaRue kicked into left allowing Kinsler to score and Young to reach second. Botts followed with a base hit up the middle to plate Young for an 8-6 Texas lead.

With Frank Francisco on the hill in the eighth, KC came within 8-7 on Grudzielanek's RBI single. However, Joaquin Benoit got out of trouble by inducing a double-play ball off the bat of Ross Gload.

David Murphy began the home half with a double and moved to third on a Ramon Vazquez sacrifice bunt. Byrd lifted a deep fly to center to plate Murphy and the Rangers restored their two-run cushion.

Francisco retired Mike Sweeney to start the ninth, then C.J. Wilson came in to get Emil Brown on a fielder's choice before allowing a two-out RBI single from German which made it a 9-8 game. Wilson recovered to retire Tony Pena to end the game and earn his 11th save.

"We tried to make some changes and make something happen," noted Washington. "Sometimes you have to try to take it to the other team."

The Royals took a 1-0 lead in their first at-bat on Sweeney's RBI double, but the Rangers responded with a five-run first courtesy of run-scoring doubles by Kinsler and Botts plus a two-run shot from Wilkerson and a Saltalamacchia solo homer.

Kinsler's run-scoring single in the second put Texas up 6-1, but Smith responded for KC with a three-run shot in the fourth.

In the fifth, the Royals drew even on Teahen's single and a sacrifice fly from Smith.

Game Notes

Kansas City has won five of the eight meetings this year...Fifteen of Smith's 16 home runs this year have come on the road...Texas last scored nine runs at home on August 12 against Tampa Bay...Botts tied a career high with three hits...Wilkerson hit the 20-home run plateau for the third time in his career...Attendance was 18,892.

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