Billy Butler went 2-for-4 with a solo homer, and Luke Hochevar tossed eight strong innings, as the Kansas City Royals earned a 5-2 win over the Texas Rangers in the finale of a two- game set at Kauffman Stadium.
Willie Bloomquist added a double and knocked in two for the Royals, who snapped three-game slide. The Royals also halted a six-game losing skid against Texas, but are still only 5-15 in the last 20 matchups.
Hochevar (5-2) allowed two runs on six hits with four strikeouts and didn’t issue a walk. It was the right-hander’s second consecutive strong start, as he threw a complete game in the Royals’ 9-3 win over Cleveland on Thursday. Joakim Soria pitched a perfect ninth to record his 11th save of the season and the 100th for his career.
Michael Young had an RBI triple, and Justin Smoak knocked in a run for Texas, which has dropped three of its last four since winning the previous five. Scott Feldman (2-5) was charged with the loss for allowing four runs on seven hits with one walk over 6 2/3 innings. He did not record a strikeout.
