ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Rookie right-hander Yordano Ventura struck out six in six innings for his 10th victory, and Billy Butler and Josh Willingham had inning-starting homers for the AL Central-leading Kansas City Royals in a 6-3 win at Texas on Friday night.
The hard-throwing Ventura (10-9) allowed one run, four hits, and three walks.
Greg Holland worked a scoreless ninth for his MLB-leading 40th save in 42 opportunities after Wade Davis retired all three batters he faces to extend the majors’ longest active scoreless streak to 22 2-3 innings.
Lorenzo Cain shook off a 2-for-14 slump with three hits for Kansas City, which won for the 23rd time in 29 games.
Butler led off the second with his eighth homer, tying the game at 1-all. Cain and Alcides Escobar, the bottom two batters in the Royals lineup, had consecutive RBI singles in that inning against Colby Lewis (8-11) to put Kansas City ahead to stay.