GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: AL: TEXAS (46-56) at KANSAS CITY (44-57)

Bannister, Royals snap Rangers' winning streak

<h3>KANSAS CITY 6, TEXAS 1</h3>KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- Brian Bannister helped theKansas City Royals end the Texas Rangers' season-long four-gamewinning streak.


Bannister pitched seven scoreless innings and rookie BillyButler blasted a three-run homer to lift the Royals to a 6-1victory over the Rangers on Friday in the opener of a three-gameseries.


Bannister (7-6) scattered four hits with two walks and sixstrikeouts to earn his second consecutive win.


The 26-year-old righthander has now gone 11 straight inningswithout allowing a run. In his last start on Sunday against theDetroit Tigers, Bannister allowed just one run and four hitsover seven innings in a 5-2 triumph.


Butler gave Bannister all the run support he would need in thefirst inning when he connected on a three-run shot to centerfield off Rangers starter Jamey Wright (3-3).


It was the 21-year-old rookie's fourth career homer and his 24thRBI in his last 18 contests.


Mark Grudzielanek had three hits, drove in a run and scoredanother for the Royals, who have won two in a row after losingthree straight. Grudzielanek is batting .500 (20-for-40) withsix RBI and 11 runs scored over his current nine-game hittingstreak.


The Royals extended their lead to 4-0 in the third inning on aRoss Gload one-out sacrifice fly that plated Mark Teahen.

Sammy Sosa's 16th home run and 604th of his career in the eighthcut the Royals lead to 5-1.


Wright (3-3), a former Royal who had not faced Kansas City since2001, allowed five runs and 10 hits with four walks over 6 2/3innings for his first career loss in three decisions to theRoyals.


The Rangers had won eight of their previous 12 games.

 

AL: TEXAS at KANSAS CITY

<div class="pre">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TEXAS (1) AT KANSAS CITY (6) - HOW THEY SCORED
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

KANSAS CITY 1ST: D DeJesus singled to center. D DeJesus caught stealing
second, catcher to second. M Grudzielanek singled to center. M Teahen walked,
M Grudzielanek to second. B Butler homered to center, M Grudzielanek and
M Teahen scored. R Gload lined out to left. A Gordon grounded out to first.
(3 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, KANSAS CITY 3.

KANSAS CITY 3RD: M Teahen doubled to center. B Butler grounded out to
first, M Teahen to third. R Gload hit sacrifice fly to left, M Teahen scored.
A Gordon struck out swinging. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, KANSAS CITY 4.

KANSAS CITY 7TH: J Buck singled to left. T Pena Jr sacrificed to pitcher,
J Buck to second. D DeJesus intentionally walked. M Grudzielanek singled to
center, J Buck scored, D DeJesus to second, D DeJesus thrown out at third
attempting to advance on play. R Mahay relieved J Wright. M Teahen grounded
out to second. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, KANSAS CITY 5.

TEXAS 8TH: J Soria relieved B Bannister. M Young flied out to left.
M Teixeira flied out to left. S Sosa homered to left. M Byrd grounded out to
second. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 1, KANSAS CITY 5.

KANSAS CITY 8TH: S Feldman relieved R Mahay. B Butler flied out to right.
R Gload safe at first on throwing error by third baseman T Metcalf. R Gload to
second on balk by S Feldman. A Gordon doubled to center, R Gload scored.
E Brown grounded out to shortstop, A Gordon to third. J Buck grounded out to
third. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 1 Error) TEXAS 1, KANSAS CITY 6.</div>

 

AL: TEXAS at KANSAS CITY

<div class="pre">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TEXAS (1) AT KANSAS CITY (6) - EVENT LOG
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Texas Starting Lineups -- F Catalanotto LF, M Young SS, M Teixeira 1B,
S Sosa DH, M Byrd CF, B Wilkerson RF, A Melhuse C, R Vazquez 2B, T Metcalf 3B,
J Wright RHP.

Kansas City Starting Lineups -- D DeJesus CF, M Grudzielanek 2B, M Teahen RF,
B Butler DH, R Gload 1B, A Gordon 3B, E Brown LF, J Buck C, T Pena Jr SS,
B Bannister RHP.

Umpires -- Rob Drake (HP), Tim Tschida (1B), Todd Tichenor (2B), Jim Wolf (3B).


Gametime Weather: 87 degrees, Partly Cloudy, wind left to right at 8 mph.


TEXAS 1ST: F Catalanotto flied out to right. M Young grounded out to
shortstop. M Teixeira singled to left center. S Sosa safe at first on
throwing error by shortstop T Pena Jr, M Teixeira to second. M Byrd flied out
to right. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 1 Error) TEXAS 0, KANSAS CITY 0.

KANSAS CITY 1ST: D DeJesus singled to center. D DeJesus caught stealing
second, catcher to second. M Grudzielanek singled to center. M Teahen walked,
M Grudzielanek to second. B Butler homered to center, M Grudzielanek and
M Teahen scored. R Gload lined out to left. A Gordon grounded out to first.
(3 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, KANSAS CITY 3.

TEXAS 2ND: B Wilkerson singled to center. A Melhuse struck out swinging.
R Vazquez walked, B Wilkerson to second. T Metcalf popped out to second.
F Catalanotto grounded out to first. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0,
KANSAS CITY 3.

KANSAS CITY 2ND: E Brown singled to left. J Buck walked, E Brown to
second. T Pena Jr grounded into double play, pitcher to shortstop to first,
JBuck out at second, E Brown to third. D DeJesus walked. M Grudzielanek popped
out to second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, KANSAS CITY 3.

TEXAS 3RD: M Young singled to center. M Teixeira struck out swinging.
S Sosa singled to center, M Young to second. M Byrd flied out to right.
B Wilkerson grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0,
KANSAS CITY 3.

KANSAS CITY 3RD: M Teahen doubled to center. B Butler grounded out to
first, M Teahen to third. R Gload hit sacrifice fly to left, M Teahen scored.
A Gordon struck out swinging. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, KANSAS CITY 4.

TEXAS 4TH: A Melhuse flied out to left. R Vazquez flied out to center.
T Metcalf flied out to right. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0,
KANSAS CITY 4.

KANSAS CITY 4TH: E Brown grounded out to first. J Buck flied out to
center. T Pena Jr grounded out to first. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0,
KANSAS CITY 4.

TEXAS 5TH: F Catalanotto grounded out to shortstop. M Young grounded out
to second. M Teixeira struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors)
TEXAS 0, KANSAS CITY 4.

KANSAS CITY 5TH: D DeJesus singled to right. M Grudzielanek singled to
center, D DeJesus to third. M Teahen struck out looking. B Butler grounded
into double play, shortstop to second to first, M Grudzielanek out at second.
(0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, KANSAS CITY 4.

TEXAS 6TH: S Sosa struck out swinging. M Byrd struck out looking.
B Wilkerson grounded out to first. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0,
KANSAS CITY 4.

KANSAS CITY 6TH: R Gload singled to left. A Gordon grounded into double
play, second to shortstop to first, R Gload out at second. E Brown flied out to
center. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, KANSAS CITY 4.

TEXAS 7TH: A Melhuse struck out looking. R Vazquez walked. T Metcalf
flied out to center. F Catalanotto grounded out to first. (0 Runs, 0 Hits,
0 Errors) TEXAS 0, KANSAS CITY 4.

KANSAS CITY 7TH: J Buck singled to left. T Pena Jr sacrificed to pitcher,
J Buck to second. D DeJesus intentionally walked. M Grudzielanek singled to
center, J Buck scored, D DeJesus to second, D DeJesus thrown out at third
attempting to advance on play. R Mahay relieved J Wright. M Teahen grounded
out to second. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, KANSAS CITY 5.

TEXAS 8TH: J Soria relieved B Bannister. M Young flied out to left.
M Teixeira flied out to left. S Sosa homered to left. M Byrd grounded out to
second. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 1, KANSAS CITY 5.

KANSAS CITY 8TH: S Feldman relieved R Mahay. B Butler flied out to right.
R Gload safe at first on throwing error by third baseman T Metcalf. R Gload to
second on balk by S Feldman. A Gordon doubled to center, R Gload scored.
E Brown grounded out to shortstop, A Gordon to third. J Buck grounded out to
third. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 1 Error) TEXAS 1, KANSAS CITY 6.

TEXAS 9TH: D Riske relieved J Soria. B Wilkerson struck out swinging.
A Melhuse lined out to second. R Vazquez struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits,
0 Errors) TEXAS 1, KANSAS CITY 6.</div>

 

AL: TEXAS at KANSAS CITY

<div class="pre">TEXAS (1) VS KANSAS CITY (6) - FINAL

TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
F Catalanotto lf 4 0 0 0 0 0 3 .228
M Young ss 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 .296
M Teixeira 1b 4 0 1 0 0 2 1 .299
S Sosa dh 4 1 2 1 0 1 1 .245
M Byrd cf 4 0 0 0 0 1 4 .343
B Wilkerson rf 4 0 1 0 0 1 2 .223
A Melhuse c 4 0 0 0 0 2 1 .234
R Vazquez 2b 2 0 0 0 2 1 0 .253
T Metcalf 3b 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 .245

Totals 33 1 5 1 2 8 15

BATTING: HR - S Sosa (16, 8th inning off J Soria 0 on, 2 Out). RBI - S Sosa
(70). 2-out RBI - S Sosa. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - M Byrd 1, B
Wilkerson 1, F Catalanotto 1. Team LOB - 7.

FIELDING: E - T Metcalf (4, throw). Outfield assists - M Byrd (D DeJesus at
3rd base). DP: 3 (J Wright-M Young-M Teixeira, M Young-R Vazquez-M Teixeira, R
Vazquez-M Young-M Teixeira).


KANSAS CITY ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
D DeJesus cf 2 0 2 0 2 0 0 .278
M Grudzielanek 2b 4 1 3 1 0 0 2 .308
M Teahen rf 3 2 1 0 1 1 3 .283
B Butler dh 4 1 1 3 0 0 2 .309
R Gload 1b 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 .285
A Gordon 3b 4 0 1 1 0 1 1 .245
E Brown lf 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 .226
J Buck c 3 1 1 0 1 0 1 .233
T Pena Jr ss 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 .281

Totals 29 6 11 6 4 2 10

BATTING: 2B - M Teahen (18, J Wright); A Gordon (21, S Feldman). HR - B Butler
(4, 1st inning off J Wright 2 on, 1 Out). S - T Pena Jr. SF - R Gload. RBI - B
Butler 3 (30), R Gload (29), M Grudzielanek (34), A Gordon (35). Runners left
in scoring position, 2 out - M Grudzielanek 1, J Buck 1. GIDP - T Pena Jr, B
Butler, A Gordon. Team LOB - 5.

BASERUNNING: CS - D DeJesus (3, 2nd base by J Wright/A Melhuse).

FIELDING: E - T Pena Jr (18, throw).


----------------------------------------------------
TEXAS - 000 000 010 -- 1
KANSAS CITY - 301 000 11x -- 6
----------------------------------------------------

TEXAS ip h r er bb so hr era
J Wright (L, 3-3) 6 2/3 10 5 5 4 2 1 4.57
R Mahay 1/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2.13
S Feldman 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 6.03

KANSAS CITY ip h r er bb so hr era
B Bannister (W, 7-6) 7 4 0 0 2 6 0 3.42
J Soria 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 2.44
D Riske 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 2.27

IBB - D DeJesus (by J Wright). BALK - S Feldman. Pitches-strikes: J Wright
98-57; R Mahay 4-3; S Feldman 18-12; B Bannister 116-76; J Soria 19-12; D Riske
9-8. Ground balls-fly balls: J Wright 11-5; R Mahay 1-0; S Feldman 2-1; B
Bannister 7-8; J Soria 1-2; D Riske 0-1. Batters faced: J Wright 29; R Mahay 1;
S Feldman 5; B Bannister 28; J Soria 4; D Riske 3.

UMPIRES: HP--Rob Drake. 1B--Tim Tschida. 2B--Todd Tichenor. 3B--Jim Wolf.

T--2:30. (Plus rain delay totaling 36 minutes in the 8th). Att--21,730.

Weather: 87 degrees, partly cloudy. Wind: 8 mph, left to right.</div>

 

Bannister, Royals snap Rangers' winning streak

<h3>KANSAS CITY 6, TEXAS 1</h3>KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- Brian Bannister helped theKansas City Royals end the Texas Rangers' season-long, four-gamewinning streak.


Bannister pitched seven scoreless innings and Billy Butlerblasted a three-run homer to lift the Royals to a 6-1 victoryover the Rangers on Friday in the opener of a three-game series.

Bannister (7-6) scattered four hits with two walks and sixstrikeouts to earn his second consecutive win.


"I was at 50-plus through three innings and I really wanted togo seven (innings)," Bannister said. "It took 115 to getthrough seven tonight. They did a good job. That's not how Ilike to pitch, but I stayed ahead of them and they worked acouple of full counts on me and made me pitch a lot."

"Banny really helped us out tonight," Royals manager Buddy Bellsaid. "He was really good against a team that was reallyplaying well right now. Some of his stuff was really crisp."

The 26-year-old righthander has now gone 11 straight inningswithout allowing a run. In his last start on Sunday against theDetroit Tigers, Bannister allowed just one run and four hitsover seven innings in a 5-2 triumph.


Butler gave Bannister all the run support he would need in thefirst inning when he connected on a three-run shot to centerfield off Rangers starter Jamey Wright (3-3).


"He got it up, not where he wanted to throw it," Butler said ofWright's first-inning pitch. "I got it at the point in thecount where I'm glad I didn't miss it."


"Just one pitch - a curveball to Butler on 3-1 and there's threeruns with one swing of the bat and got myself in a hole earlyand got my team in a hole 3-0," Wright said.


It was the 21-year-old rookie's fourth career homer and his 24thRBI in his last 18 contests.


"To get those three runs early was huge," Bannister said. "Ireally built upon it on the later innings because of that. Iknow the Rangers played really well against the Mariners in thelast series. I knew they were hot. I knew I was going to haveto pitch them tough. For Bill to give me three right away, thatwas a big lift."


Mark Grudzielanek had three hits, drove in a run and scoredanother for the Royals, who have won two in a row after losingthree straight. Grudzielanek is batting .500 (20-for-40) withsix RBI and 11 runs scored over his current nine-game hittingstreak.


The Royals extended their lead to 4-0 in the third inning on aRoss Gload one-out sacrifice fly that plated Mark Teahen.

Sammy Sosa's 16th home run and 604th of his career in the eighthcut the Royals lead to 5-1.


Wright (3-3), a former Royal who had not faced Kansas City since2001, allowed five runs and 10 hits with four walks over 6 2/3innings for his first career loss in three decisions to theRoyals.


"He had Butler 0-2 and left a slider up," Texas manager RonWashington said about Wright. "That was good hitting rightthere. We fell behind 3-0. He struggled a little bit tonightbut he battled through it. At least he got us to the seventh."

The Rangers had won eight of their previous 12 games.

"Bannister didn't give us much," Washington said. "You have totip your hat to him. We had a couple of opportunities, but hedidn't give in to them and got out of the innings, so you've gotto give him credit. We certainly didn't give them anythingtonight; they beat us."