KANSAS CITY -- Rangers left-hander Wandy Rodriguez allowed just one run in seven innings and Royals ace Yordano Ventura gave up all four runs in the first two innings as Texas held on, 4-2, and clinched the series at Kauffman Stadium on Saturday afternoon.The Rangers have won 14 of their last 17 games and are four over .500 for the first time since April 28, 2014. The Royals have lost nine of their last 11.
Rodriguez won his first start over the Royals in three meetings, improving to 2-0 with a 2.56 ERA in his last four starts. He gave up the run in the sixth inning and finished with six hits, no walks and four strikeouts. 
Ventura lasted a season-low three innings, allowing four runs off six hits and two walks with three strikeouts. Right-hander Joe Blanton took over and tossed 3 1/3 shutout innings. Salvador Perez brought the Rangers a little closer in the ninth with a solo home run off Shawn Tolleson, who then closed it out for his seventh save of the season.MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Choo sparks offense: The Rangers scored two runs in each of the first two innings. Shin-Soo Choo started one rally and ended the other. His one-out single was the first of four straight hits off Ventura. In the second inning, Choo came up with two runners in scoring position and brought them home with a double to left-center.Ventura's start short, not sweet: Ventura made his shortest start this season, exiting after just three innings allowing six hits and four runs. He also walked two, hit one batter and made a throwing error to second that advanced a runner to third. He also allowed only his second stolen base in 262 2/3 career innings.Rodriguez gets big grounders: Rodriguez, keeping his fastball low and using his curve, had 11 of 21 outs come via ground balls. The biggest came in the bottom of the sixth. The Rangers led by three runs, but the Royals had two on with two outs when Rodriguez got Kendrys Morales to ground into a double play.Morales ends two rallies: In the eighth inning, Morales was back up in a similar situation -- runners on first and third with two outs -- and knocked the second pitch right to the pitcher for another rally-killing groundout.SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Texas pitchers racked up 21 consecutive scoreless innings until the Royals scored in the sixth. The Rangers closed their 2-1 victory in 11 innings over the White Sox on Thursday with seven scoreless frames. That was followed by Chi Chi Gonzalez's shutout Friday and five scoreless by Rodriguez on Saturday. That's the longest streak for the club this season.WHAT'S NEXT
Rangers: Right-hander Colby Lewis looks to deliver a series sweep in Kansas City at 1:10 p.m. CT Sunday. He is 4-1 with a 5.70 ERA in his past six starts.Royals: Jeremy Guthrie (4-3, 6.17 ERA) takes the mound in the series finale at Kauffman Stadium. He is 1-2 with a 4.40 ERA in five starts at home this season.
T.R. Sullivan/ MLB.com
Ventura lasted a season-low three innings, allowing four runs off six hits and two walks with three strikeouts. Right-hander Joe Blanton took over and tossed 3 1/3 shutout innings. Salvador Perez brought the Rangers a little closer in the ninth with a solo home run off Shawn Tolleson, who then closed it out for his seventh save of the season.MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Choo sparks offense: The Rangers scored two runs in each of the first two innings. Shin-Soo Choo started one rally and ended the other. His one-out single was the first of four straight hits off Ventura. In the second inning, Choo came up with two runners in scoring position and brought them home with a double to left-center.Ventura's start short, not sweet: Ventura made his shortest start this season, exiting after just three innings allowing six hits and four runs. He also walked two, hit one batter and made a throwing error to second that advanced a runner to third. He also allowed only his second stolen base in 262 2/3 career innings.Rodriguez gets big grounders: Rodriguez, keeping his fastball low and using his curve, had 11 of 21 outs come via ground balls. The biggest came in the bottom of the sixth. The Rangers led by three runs, but the Royals had two on with two outs when Rodriguez got Kendrys Morales to ground into a double play.Morales ends two rallies: In the eighth inning, Morales was back up in a similar situation -- runners on first and third with two outs -- and knocked the second pitch right to the pitcher for another rally-killing groundout.SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Texas pitchers racked up 21 consecutive scoreless innings until the Royals scored in the sixth. The Rangers closed their 2-1 victory in 11 innings over the White Sox on Thursday with seven scoreless frames. That was followed by Chi Chi Gonzalez's shutout Friday and five scoreless by Rodriguez on Saturday. That's the longest streak for the club this season.WHAT'S NEXT
Rangers: Right-hander Colby Lewis looks to deliver a series sweep in Kansas City at 1:10 p.m. CT Sunday. He is 4-1 with a 5.70 ERA in his past six starts.Royals: Jeremy Guthrie (4-3, 6.17 ERA) takes the mound in the series finale at Kauffman Stadium. He is 1-2 with a 4.40 ERA in five starts at home this season.
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