Kansas City Royals vs Texas Rangers Match Player Stats On May 31, 2019

Joey Gallo's first career grand slam highlighted a six-run sixth inning and helped the Texas Rangers even their four-game set against the visiting Kansas City Royals with a 6-2 victory on Friday night at Arlington, Texas.

Ariel Jurado (2-2) delivered a second straight strong start, giving up two runs and striking out six in six innings for the Rangers, who bounced back from a 4-2 loss to the Royals on Thursday. However, it was Gallo's 16th homer of the season and first in seven games that was the difference.

Texas was stymied for five innings by Kansas City's Danny Duffy (3-2) until the home side broke through in a major way while batting around in the sixth.

With Texas trailing 2-0, Elvis Andrus delivered an RBI single to cut the deficit in half, and the Rangers tied the score when Nomar Mazara drew a bases-loaded walk. Gallo, the next batter, crushed a 1-1 pitch just to the right of straightaway center field to break the tie and chase Duffy with one out in the inning.

The home run by Gallo was just his third hit in 22 at-bats over his past seven games. However, it proved to be more than enough to send the Rangers to their third victory in four games after they lost three in a row.

Jesse Chavez, Chris Martin and Shawn Kelley each pitched a scoreless inning of relief for Texas, which has won 20 of the past 25 meetings against Kansas City.

Cheslor Cuthbert, called up by the Royals from Triple-A Omaha earlier Friday, homered in his first at-bat of 2019, a solo shot in the second inning. Alex Gordon came through with an RBI triple in the fifth for the Royals, who have lost seven of the past nine.

Kansas City's Whit Merrifield had two hits. He is 7-for-17 in the past four games.

--Field Level Media