Pasquantino and Witt back Lugo's stellar start, powering Royals to 5-2 win over Rangers

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Texas Rangers' Joc Pederson celebrates as he runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Royals' Vinnie Pasquantino celebrates with teammates after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) — Texas Rangers' Joc Pederson celebrates as he runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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10:02 PM on Tuesday, August 19

By DAVE SKRETTA

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Vinnie Pasquantino homered in the first inning and then scored the go-ahead run in the seventh when Jonathan India was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, helping the Kansas City Royals to a 5-2 win over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night.

Bobby Witt Jr. added a two-run shot in the eighth for his 100th career homer, and Mike Yastrzemski went deep for the Royals, who have won five straight and improved to 7-1 on their season-high 10-game homestand.

Rangers reliever Hoby Milner (1-3) allowed three consecutive hits to start the seventh, including Pasquantino's double. Cole Winn then entered the game and hit India with his first pitch, giving Kansas City its first lead of the game.

Angel Zerpa (4-1) got five outs for the Royals before John Schreiber took care of the ninth for his first save.

Royals starter Seth Lugo and Rangers counterpart Merrill Kelly had matched each other pitch-for-pitch for most of the night.

Lugo surrendered a homer to Corey Seager with two outs in the first, then allowed one more hit before Joc Pederson’s homer in the fourth. Those were the only three hits that Lugo allowed, and he walked two while striking out five.

Kelly gave up the homer to Pasquantino, which just scraped over the right-field wall, with two outs in the first. He did not allow another hit until Yastrzemski's shot into the right-field bullpen with two outs in the sixth.

Those were the only two hits Kelly allowed over six innings. He struck out three without a walk.

Key moment

Jonah Heim led off the eighth for Texas with a single, but Zerpa got pinch-hitter Cody Freeman to ground into a double play.

Key stat

Kansas City is 5-0 against the Rangers this season.

Up next

The Rangers have not announced their starter for Wednesday after disclosing pregame that RHP Jacob deGrom would skip a turn due to shoulder fatigue. LHP Noah Cameron (7-5, 2.47 ERA) is due on the mound for Kansas City.

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