31-44 - Kiner-Falefa takes advantage as Rangers beat Royals 4-1

Remember when the Rangers had a seven game losing streak and everything was bad? Well now the Rangers have a four game winning streak and everything is great!

All the way back on May 27, about a week before that dastardly losing streak began, the Rangers played the Royals and Cole Hamels faced off against Jason Hammel. Hammel took the Battle of the Ham on that afternoon as Texas fell 5-3.

Tonight, Hamels had his revenge with seven innings of one run ball while Texas pinned Hammel with the loss after scoring four runs against him early in the contest and KC never recovered.

Player of the Game: Rougned Odor was supposed to start tonight’s game but he and Yohander Mendez got caught up in Bartolo Colon’s celebratory wake and was a late scratch. Isiah Kiner-Falefa — who wasn’t originally in the lineup to prepare for starting at catcher tomorrow — was inserted into the lineup in Rougie’s place and went 3-for-3 with a walk, two doubles, a run scored, and an RBI.

That is what you call taking advantage of an opportunity.

Also, Shin-Soo Choo extended his on base streak to 33 games with a single and Nomar Mazara had three hits.

Up Next: With any luck, Kiner-Falefa will still make his debut behind the plate tomorrow and will catch Austin Bibens-Dirkx to combine for an all-hyphenated battery.

Bibens-Dirkx, as we learned earlier, will make the start for Texas in place of the demoted Mendez. The Royals will counter with RHP Jakob Junis. First pitch of the finale from Kauffman Stadium is scheduled for 7:15 pm CT.