ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jaime Garcia pitched eight innings of four-hit ball and helped himself with an RBI single for the St. Louis Cardinals, who ended the Kansas City Royals’ four-game winning streak with a 4-0 victory in the opener of a high-profile weekend interleague series on Friday night.

Jon Jay snapped a 2-for-24 slump this month with a two-out RBI triple in the second off Yordano Ventura (3-6), and Garcia followed with his 12th career RBI on an opposite-field single to left.

The Cardinals are 40-21 overall and 23-7 at home, both major league bests. They got a huge outing from Garcia (2-3), so far a success story off thoracic outlet surgery.

Ventura lasted just three innings for the second straight start, removed as a precaution due to weakness in his pitching hand. In those two starts, he’s allowed six earned runs.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Alex Gordon hit a three-run homer, Edinson Volquez struck out six batters over seven innings and the Kansas City Royals beat Minnesota 7-2 on Wednesday to finish the first series sweep this season of the Twins at home.

The Twins scored 11 runs while stumbling to a 1-5 record on this home-stand, which handed the division lead back to Kansas City. The Twins hadn’t been swept since the opening series of the season at Detroit.

Their frustration was evident in the eighth, when Torii Hunter was ejected by home plate umpire Mark Ripperger for arguing a called third strike. Hunter had to be restrained briefly, before yanking off his elbow pad, shin guard and batting gloves and throwing them toward the batter’s box.

For good measure, Hunter ripped off his jersey and threw that over the first-base line, before retreating to the dugout.

Manager Paul Molitor was given his first career ejection during the conflict, too.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Chris Young took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and Salvador Perez homered to help the Kansas City Royals to a 2-0 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night.

Young (5-2) left after giving up a triple to Trevor Plouffe with one out in the seventh for his only hit of the game. The 6-foot-10 right-hander struck out two and walked three to bounce back from a pair of ugly starts and put the Royals in a position to sweep the Twins on Wednesday.

Trevor May (4-4) gave up one run on seven hits with five strikeouts and three walks in six innings for the Twins, who managed just the one hit and have scored five runs in their last four games.

On a night when San Francisco’s Chris Heston no-hit the Mets, Young looked prime to equal him as he carved up the slumping Twins lineup through six innings.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jason Vargas threw six shutout innings and Kendrys Morales hit a long home run against his former team to push the Kansas City Royals to a 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Monday night.

Vargas (5-2) gave up five hits and struck out two, Morales hit a two-run shot in the second inning and Eric Hosmer drove in another run in the eighth to move the AL champion Royals (32-23) ahead of the Twins (33-24) by percentage points for first place in the AL Central. Greg Holland got his 10th save in 11 chances.

Phil Hughes (4-6) had one of his strongest outings of the season for the Twins, but didn’t get enough from his offense. Hughes gave up three runs on seven hits and struck out three.

Eddie Rosario had two hits, including a solo homer for Minnesota.

NEW YORK (AP) — Seven players on the AL champion Kansas City Royals are on track to start in next month’s All-Star game.

Catcher Salvador Perez, first baseman Eric Hosmer, shortstop Alcides Escobar, third baseman Mike Moustakas and designated hitter Kendrys Morales all led their positions in voting totals released Monday. Lorenzo Cain was first among AL outfielders, with teammate Alex Gordon third, behind AL MVP Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels.

Kansas City’s Omar Infante was second among second basemen with 2.65 million votes, 150,000 behind AL batting champion Jose Altuve of Houston.

Voting runs through July 2, and starters are to be announced the weekend of July 4-5. The game in Cincinnati is scheduled for July 14.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez hit a solo home run with two outs in the eighth inning, lifting the Kansas City Royals over the Texas Rangers 4-3.

Perez hit his eighth homer, sending a pitch from Keone Kela (4-2) into the Royals’ bullpen.

Wade Davis (3-1) picked up the victory, working around Prince Fielder’s double in the eighth. Greg Holland pitched a perfect ninth for his ninth save in 10 opportunities.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Wandy Rodriguez pitched seven strong innings and the Texas Rangers defeated the Kansas City Royals 4-2 Saturday for their seventh win in eight games.

Texas has won six straight series for the first time since 2012. The AL champion Royals have lost nine of 11.

Rodriguez (3-2), a 36-year-old lefty who signed with the Rangers in early April after Atlanta released him in spring training, gave up one run and six hits. He walked none and struck out four.

Yordano Ventura (3-5) continued to struggle early, allowing four runs in the first two innings.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chi Chi Gonzalez threw a three-hit shutout in his second major league start as the Texas Rangers beat the skidding Kansas City Royals 4-0 Friday night.

The Royals lost for the eighth time in 10 games, while the Rangers have won six of seven and 14 of 18 to move into second place in the AL West behind Houston.

Gonzalez (2-0), the Rangers’ 2013 first-round draft pick out of Oral Roberts, has not allowed a run and yielded only five hits in 14 2-3 innings in his first two starts. He checked the Royals on three singles, walked two and struck out two.

Gonzalez worked around five walks in 5 2-3 innings to top Boston 8-0 on May 30 in his big league debut.

Mitch Moreland led off the Rangers’ three-run sixth with a homer. Robinson Chirinos celebrated his 31st birthday with a two-run single to finish right-hander Edinson Volquez’s night.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Brandon Moss hit a two-run homer and the Cleveland Indians beat the Kansas City Royals 6-2 on Thursday night in a game called in the eighth inning because of rain.

Trevor Bauer (5-2) allowed only a long two-run homer by Lorenzo Cain over 6 2-3 innings to continue his hot streak. The 24-year-old right-hander has allowed two runs or fewer in each of his last four starts, getting to the seventh in each of them.

After struggling to score the previous night, the Indians pounded away against Chris Young (4-2) over the first five innings. They sent eight batters to the plate during a four-run third inning, and Moss added his second homer of the series with nobody out in the fifth.

The game was delayed with one out in the bottom of the eighth as lightning and heavy rain rolled into the area. The umpires waited 44 minutes before calling Cleveland’s sixth win in eight games.

 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jason Vargas tossed six sharp innings, the Kansas City offense finally woke up against AL Cy Young winner Corey Kluber and the Royals beat the Cleveland Indians 4-2 on Wednesday night.

Mike Moustakas drove in a run in the first inning, and Lorenzo Cain, Eric Hosmer and Kendrys Morales hit consecutive RBI doubles off Kluber (3-6) in the third to give the Royals the lead.

Vargas (4-2) made it stand up in his second start back from the disabled list. The left-hander used a pair of double plays to wiggle out of jams, and limited the streaking Indians to two runs on eight hits while striking out three without a walk.

Greg Holland pitched a perfect ninth for his eighth save.