ARLINGTON, Texas — David Lough was willing to endure a little pain to help the Kansas City Royals win.
Robbie Ross hit Lough with a pitch with the bases loaded to force in the go-ahead run in the 10th inning, and the Royals beat the Texas Rangers 4-1 Saturday.
Lough thought he had a broken right wrist when he left the game after getting plunked. His fears worsened when he couldn’t move his fingers for about 20 minutes.
Lough was finally able to enjoy the three-run 10th inning that lifted the Royals to only their second win in 11 games.
“I had the X-rays and a lot of strength came back in my arm after that,” Lough said. “I’m glad we got the win more than anything.”
Ross (2-1) had only allowed one run in 24-1-3 innings this season before Saturday.
The left-hander gave up a leadoff single to Alcides Escobar in the 10th. Eric Hosmer followed with a single and Billy Butler was intentionally walked to load the bases. Ross struck out Mike Moustakas and Lorenzo Cain before Lough came up. Lough was hit on a 2-1 pitch to force in the go-ahead run.
That snapped Ross’ scoring streak at 20 1-3 innings.
“Stuff is going to happen no matter what,” Ross said. “I have to bounce back and get back to helping the team win.”
Lough left the game after getting plunked with a fastball in the right arm. The rookie outfielder tried to stay in the game but slowly walked off the field in obvious pain as he was replaced by pinch-runner Jeff Francoeur.
George Kottaras, who entered the game in the ninth inning, lined a two-run double over the head of Nelson Cruz in right.
The Royals had only scored 22 runs in their past 10 games and were 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position before Kottaras broke the game open.
“It was a big win,” Kansas City manager Ned Yost said. “(Ross) is one of their guys who has been throwing good.”
Aaron Crow (1-1) pitched 1 1-3 innings of scoreless relief and Greg Holland worked a perfect 10th for his ninth save in 11 chances.
The Rangers had runners on second and third with two outs in the ninth but Crow retired Jurickson Profar on a foul pop to end the threat.
James Shields, who had lost his last four starts, allowed one run in seven innings as he looked to win for the first time since April 30. He gave up five hits, struck out five and walked one.
In Shields’ previous four starts, the Royals had only scored seven runs behind him.
“I don’t care about run support as much as winning the game,” Shields said. “I’ve got to do a better job pitching.”
Nick Tepesch made his first career start against his hometown team and allowed an unearned run in 6 1-3 innings. The rookie gave up seven hits and struck out two.
Texas third baseman Adrian Beltre left the game after the ninth inning with tightness in his left hamstring. Beltre was injured running the bases in the fourth.
Rangers manager Ron Washington said Beltre is day to day.
Texas designated hitter Lance Berkman was ejected for arguing a called third strike in the first inning.
Berkman took a 2-2 pitch from Shields that home plate umpire Todd Tichenor ruled was a third strike.
The Rangers’ first-year designated hitter was tossed from the game after a brief argument with Tichenor.
“I didn’t think I said or did anything that would warrant the ejection,” Berkman said “But he obviously felt different.”
Shields retired 10 in a row before the Rangers scored in the fourth.
Beltre and Cruz singled with two outs. Mitch Moreland then lofted a soft single to center that scored Beltre and put the Rangers ahead 1-0.
Tepesch grew up in Blue Springs, Mo., about 15 minutes from Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium. The right-hander needed only eight pitches to retire the side in the first and recorded nine groundball outs through four innings.
Kansas City tied the game in the fifth when Lough singled with one out and scored on A.J. Pierzynski’s passed ball.