KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ian Kinsler hit a leadoff triple in the 10th inning and scored on Michael Young’s single to lift the Texas Rangers over the Kansas City Royals 5-4 on Thursday night.
Josh Hamilton and Adrian Beltre hit back-to-back homers in the fourth to help the AL West leaders overcome a 3-0 deficit.
The Rangers (82-55) moved a season-high 27 games above .500 and own the best record in franchise history after 137 games. They won their sixth straight series and upped their division lead to 5½ games over idle Oakland.
Mike Adams (4-3) allowed one hit in a scoreless ninth. Joe Nathan earned his 30th save in 31 tries, converting his 28th consecutive opportunity since a blown save on April 11. It was the right-hander’s 39th career save against Kansas City.
Greg Holland (6-4) took the loss.
Royals starter Luke Hochevar took a 3-0 lead into the fourth and retired his first 10 batters before Young’s single. Four pitches later the score was tied after Hamilton and Beltre hit consecutive home runs for the fourth time this season and second on this road trip.
Hamilton tops the majors with 39 homers and is tied with Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera for the RBI lead with 116. Beltre, who has 30 home runs, has been the hottest hitter in the majors over the past 17 games with 11 homers, 21 RBIs, 16 runs and a .435 batting average.
Hochevar, who is 0-4 with a 5.74 ERA in seven starts since a July 31 victory, was pulled with one out in the seventh when the Rangers went ahead 4-3. Geovany Soto’s double scored David Murphy, who had singled.
Kelvin Herrera replaced Hochevar and on the next pitch induced Craig Gentry to ground into an inning-ending double play.
Scott Feldman, who is 0-5 in his past six starts, left with a 4-3 lead, but the Texas bullpen failed to hold it for even one batter. After Feldman retired the leadoff hitter in the seventh, manager Ron Washington summoned left-hander Michael Kirkman to face Eric Hosmer, who homered on a 3-1 pitch.
Jeff Francoeur, who entered batting just .128 with no extra-base hits and one RBI in 14 games, homered in the second inning off Feldman.
Alex Gordon stroked a run-scoring triple in the third and scored on Salvador Perez’s single. Perez extended his hitting streak to 11 games, matching his career best.
The Royals stole three bases without a throw, including two swipes of third by Lorenzo Cain. Rangers opponents have stolen 24 bases in a row without being caught since Aug. 6.
On the flip side, Perez picked off Gentry at first base, his second pickoff of the series and fourth this season — a Royals record.