Cole Hamels was in top form over seven innings and the bottom of the Rangers' lineup came up big early as Texas won its season-high fourth consecutive game Tuesday night, 4-1 over the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium.
Hamels escaped a first-inning jam after two walks with a 6-4-3 double play and then breezed through much of the the next five innings. He retired nine of 10 batters from the second through the fourth. An unearned run scored in the fifth but he limited the damage again with a 6-4-3 double play. Hamels held KC to four hits and struck out seven.