Heim homers in the 9th and Lowe hits an RBI single in the 10th to lead Rangers past Royals 3-2

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jonah Heim hit a tying solo home run in the ninth inning and Nathaniel Lowe had a go-ahead RBI single in the 10th, leading the Texas Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.

With one out in the 10th, Corey Seager singled off James McArthur (1-1) to put runners on first and third. Lowe followed with his third RBI of the series to score Leody Tavares.

David Robertson pitched a scoreless 10th that included an intentional walk to Bobby Witt Jr. with two outs to seal the win for the Rangers with his first save of the season.

Kirby Yates (3-0) earned the win by tossing two scoreless innings of relief.

It was the third straight series win for the Rangers overall and the sixth in a row against the Royals since 2021.

“The guys fought and we had some huge hits in the end with Heim and Lowe, but you have to look at the mound,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “(Jon) Gray had seven solid innings, Yates gave us a good ninth and Robertson came and shut it down. ...

"The pitching has been pretty consistent, giving us great starts, and the bullpen is doing a nice job. That is how to take series wins.”

Heim tied it at 2 in the ninth off McArthur when his shot struck the right-field foul pole for a home run. The homer snapped a season-high four-game drought for the Rangers.

“I didn’t want to chase low, so I just tried to see something up in the zone," Heim said. “Luckily, he threw me a slider that started up and I put a good swing on it, and it stayed fair.

"There is never any panic with our offense. Everyone is out there just putting together good at-bats, taking walks, hitting balls hard and good things will happen for us.”

Gray allowed two runs and seven hits with no walks and seven strikeouts in seven innings in the start for the Rangers.

Texas moved to 3-3 in rubber games this season, while Kansas City dropped to 1-5.

“It was a tough loss,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. "We had a 2-0 lead going into the eighth, but a lot will be made of the last couple of innings. We did not do much in the middle innings. Credit to Gray and Yates for keeping us right where we were.”

Kansas City's Daniel Lynch tossed five innings of shutout ball in his season debut with just two hits, two walks and six strikeouts. Lynch retired 10 straight after getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the first.

Vinnie Pasquantino gave the Royals an early 2-0 lead with a run-scoring sacrifice fly in the first and an RBI double in the third. But Kansas City went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position.

ROSTER MOVES

Kansas City recalled Lynch for the start and optioned RHP Colin Selby to Triple-A Omaha to make room.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rangers rookie OF Wyatt Langford left Saturday night with right hamstring tightness and was scheduled to have an MRI on Sunday. The team expected to know more by Monday.

UP NEXT

Rangers: Texas will head to Oakland for a four-game series. Andrew Heaney (0-4, 5.10 ERA) will start against the A's.

Royals: Kansas City will host Milwaukee for three games starting Monday night, when Cole Ragans (2-2, 3.44 ERA) will take the mound.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Texas Rangers outfielder Leody Taveras celebrates a double during a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Nick Tre. Smith)

Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim reacts after hitting a homer during a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Nick Tre. Smith)

Texas Rangers' outfielder Leody Taveras catches a ball or an out during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Nick Tre. Smith)

Texas Rangers' pitcher Jon Gray throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Nick Tre. Smith)

Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. slides into third base after a hitting a triple during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Nick Tre. Smith)

Kansas City Royals' catcher Salvador Perez takes a swing at the ball during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Nick Tre. Smith)

Kansas City Royals' Daniel Lynch IV pitches the ball during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Nick Tre. Smith)

Texas Rangers' pitcher Jon Gray pitches the ball during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Nick Tre. Smith)

Texas Rangers outfielder Evan Carter leads off of first base during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Nick Tre. Smith)

Kansas City Royals outfielder MJ Melendez runs towards third base during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Nick Tre. Smith)

Texas Rangers third base Josh Smith makes contact with the ball during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Nick Tre. Smith)

Texas Rangers' catcher Jonah Heim takes a swing at the ball during a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Nick Tre. Smith)

NEW YORK (AP) — Juan Soto had his first multihomer game with the Yankees, Luis Gil struck out a career-high 14 and New York beat the Chicago White Sox 6-1 on Saturday to extend its winning streak to a season-high six games.

Giancarlo Stanton and Jose Trevino also went deep for New York, which has won 12 of 14 and improved to an AL-best 32-15. Soto was 4 for 4 with a walk and is batting .317 with 11 homers and 37 RBIs.

“It was a fun day," said Soto, who has rebounded after a 3-for-25 slide on a six-game road trip."

New York is 12-2-1 in series, matching 2002 as the only times since 1950 the Yankees have won 12 of their first 15 series.

Soto tied the score in the first with a 417-foot drive deep into the right-field bleachers, had an RBI single in the second and hit another solo shot in the fifth with a 437-footer deeper into the right-field bleachers. It was the 18th multihomer game for Soto, who combined with Stanton and Aaron Judge to make New York the first team this year with a trio of double-digit home run hitters.

Gil (5-1) won his fourth straight start and fifth consecutive decision, allowing one run, five hits and one walk in six innings. Gil has given up two runs over 24 1/3 innings in his last four starts.

“I have a great professor in Gerrit Cole,” Gil said through a translator of his Cy Young Award-winning teammate. “He’s always around and always giving me pointers.”

The 25-year-old right-hander averaged 96.4 mph with his fastball, 0.5 mph above his season average. He set the Yankees' rookie record for strikeouts, topping the 13 on Aug. 13, 1998, by Orlando Hernández, who threw out Saturday’s ceremonial first pitch.

“I was very happy to meet him after the game,” Gil said. “For him to be here and connect after the game — great.”

After struggling through a 29-pitch first inning that included 13 changeups, Gil struck out seven in a row starting in the fourth in a streak ended by Eloy Jiménez’s single.

“Maybe his best fastball of the year, which is saying something,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.

Brad Keller (0-2) allowed a career-high four homers. Making his second start this season, he gave up six runs — five earned — and seven hits in four-plus innings. Chicago batters struck out a season-high 16 times as the White Sox dropped to a major league-worst 4-18 on the road and 14-32 overall.

Andrew Benintendi’s opposite-field RBI double to left put Chicago ahead in the first, but Gil stranded the bases loaded when Korey Lee took a fastball for a called third strike.

Soto tied the score, Judge reached on an infield hit when third baseman Danny Mendick double-clutched before his throw, and Stanton hit an opposite-field RBI double off the right-center wall for a 2-1 lead.

Stanton homered to right-center in the fourth, his 11th of the season and fifth in nine games.

TRAINER’S ROOM

White Sox: INF Bryan Ramos, on the IL since straining his left quadriceps Tuesday, could soon start a rehab assignment at Triple-A Charlotte, manager Pedro Grifol said.

Yankees: RHP Gerrit Cole (right elbow nerve inflammation and edema) threw his first bullpen session in which he sat down in the middle for a break simulating an inning. “That’s a big, big one for him to check that box,” pitching coach Matt Blake said. “See how he bounces back after today and then go from there.” Cole was throwing in the low 90 mph range and soon could progress to batting practice. Cole was told to stop throwing in mid-March and pitched his first bullpen on May 4. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner is likely to need four or five minor league rehab starts, simulating spring training.

UP NEXT

LHP Carlos Rodón (4-2, 3.31) starts Sunday’s series finale coming off his first consecutive winning outings with the Yankees. RHP Chris Flexen (2-3, 4.46) starts for Chicago.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Yankees' Juan Soto, right, celebrates with third base coach Luis Rojas as he runs the bases after hitting a home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Yankees' Juan Soto celebrates with teammates after hitting a home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in New York. The Yankees won 6-1. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) celebrates with teammates after a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in New York. The Yankees won 6-1. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) beats the throw to Chicago White Sox first baseman Andrew Vaughn for a single during the first inning of a baseball game, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Yankees' Juan Soto, left, celebrates with Aaron Judge after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Yankees' Luis Gil pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Yankees' Luis Gil pitches during the second inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Brad Keller, right, reacts as New York Yankees' Juan Soto runs the bases after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Yankees' Juan Soto hits a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

In this image taken with a slow shutter speed, New York Yankees' Juan Soto runs the bases after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)