KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Yu Darvish retired the first 17 batters, Texas hit five home runs and the Rangers beat the Kansas City Royals 8-4 Monday in a game that turned testy.
Adrian Beltre and Nelson Cruz homered on consecutive pitches in the sixth inning. Cruz watched his drive sail over the wall, then was hit by Louis Coleman's first pitch leading off the ninth.
Cruz took a few steps to the mound, but was restrained by catcher Brayan Pena. The dugouts and bullpens emptied, but only words were exchanged. Both teams were issued a warning by plate umpire Mike Everitt.
Mike Young answered that by homering on the next pitch.
Josh Hamilton hit his 38th homer and Geovany Soto added a three-run shot as Texas won for the ninth time in 12 games. The AL West leaders moved a season-high 26 games over .500 — they hit four homers Sunday in an 8-3 victory at Cleveland.
A day after he homered and doubled in his first two big league at-bats, 19-year-old Jurickson Profar was not in the Texas lineup. Second baseman Ian Kinsler, who sat out Sunday with a stiff back, returned to the lineup.
Darvish (14-9), who retired the final seven batters he faced in his previous start, did not allow a runner until two out in the sixth when he walked Johnny Giavotella on a close full-count pitch.
David Lough, playing in his third big league game, blooped a single just over the reach of shortstop Elvis Andrus and into shallow center.
Darvish tied Wade Miley of Arizona for the most victories by a rookie this season.
Darvish gave up a two-run triple to Tony Abreu and a RBI double to Alex Gordon to cut the Texas lead to 6-3 before the inning ended. Darvish was pulled after the seventh and struck out six, including five in the first three innings, and walked one.
Soto homered in the second for a 3-0 lead.
Bruce Chen (10-11) allowed six runs on six hits, four of them home runs. He lasted six innings as his career ERA against Texas climbed to 8.68.
Abreu also singled in a run in the eighth, giving him six RBIs in two games.
NOTES: The Rangers have hit back-to-back homers eight times this season. ... Beltre is hitting .449 with nine home runs, six doubles and 17 RBIs in his past 12 games. ... Hamilton has hit three homers in five games. In his past 12 games, he is hitting .341 with four home runs, 12 RBIs and 11 runs. ... LHP Everett Teaford, who threw 5 1-3 scoreless innings as a reliever Saturday, will make a spot start Wednesday for the Royals. Rookie LHP Will Smith, who is 0-3 in his past three starts, will be skipped a start.
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