Alex Gordon is greeted at home plate by Omar Infante after his two-run homer. (photo/MLB)
Alex Gordon hit a two-run homer, and Billy Butler drove in a run to back Jason Vargas who wriggled out a couple of situations to toss seven shutout innings, as the Royals swept the Texas Rangers with a 4-1 win on Wednesday night. The victory combined with Detroit’s loss to Cleveland, bumps K.C.’s lead to 1.5 over the Tigers.
The Royals bullpen trio of Herrera, David and Holland did it again. Vargas left four runners in scoring position and left in the seventh with two-on and two-out. Kelvin Herrera escaped the jam. Louis Coleman gave up a run in the eighth but Wade Davis finished off the inning, and Greg Holland worked a perfect ninth for his 42nd save.
The Royals grabbed the lead off him in the fourth when Omar Infante led off with a single and Gordon homered to deep center of Rangers starter Nick Tepesh, who grew up in Blue Springs, Mo. In the seventh, Salvador Perez and Billy Butler doubled to provide a bit of cushion, and pinch runner Terrance Gore scored on a stolen base and a throwing error.
