Stephen Kolek shines on the mound, Maikel Garcia drives in three as the Royals beat the Astros 4-0

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Stephen Kolek scattered five hits while pitching into the eighth inning, Maikel Garcia had three hits and three RBIs, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Houston Astros 4-0 in their series finale Sunday to snap a four-game losing streak.

Kolek (4-1) struck out four and walked one. He's allowed just seven earned runs total over his past six starts.

Bobby Witt Jr. celebrated his 26th birthday with two singles, two stolen bases and two tidy plays in the field. First, he snagged a liner to rob the Astros' Joey Loperfido of a base hit, then Witt casually gloved his sharp grounder to start an inning-ending double play.

Garcia also had one of Kansas City's four stolen bases off Astros starter Spencer Arrighetti (7-2), the reigning AL pitcher of the month, who matched a season high by allowing four runs and eight hits and a walk over six innings.

Arrighetti's only other loss this season came on May 9 in Cincinnati, when he allowed a single earned run.

The Royals jumped on him right away Sunday with singles by Witt and Garcia in the first inning for a 1-0 lead. But the big blow came during a three-run third, when Garcia followed Jac Caglianone's RBI single with a two-run double down the left-field line.

None of the Astros' hits off Kolek amounted to anything. Two runners were wiped out by double plays, Cam Smith was picked off first base, Yordan Alvarez was left stranded in the seventh after extending his on-base streak to 21 games, and Steven Cruz helped Kolek by getting the final two outs of the eighth inning to preserve the shutout.

RHP Kai-Wei Teng (3-5, 3.71 ERA) starts for Houston on Monday night against the Tigers, while RHP Hunter Brown will start Tuesday for the first time since March 31, when the Astros' staff ace went down with a Grade 2 shoulder strain.

The Royals have yet to announce a starter for their series opener against the Nationals on Monday night in Washington.

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Kansas City Royals' Jac Caglianone (14) celebrates with Carter Jensen (22) after they both scored on a two-run double hit by Maikel Garcia during the third inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Royals' Maikel Garcia watches his two-run double during the third inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Houston Astros starting pitcher Spencer Arrighetti throws during the third inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr., rounds third as he runs home to score on a single by Maikel Garcia during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Stephen Kolek throws during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Willi Castro had seven RBIs, Hunter Goodman got five hits and the Colorado Rockies set a franchise record for runs Sunday in a 23-9 victory over the Athletics on a 101-degree afternoon at Las Vegas Ballpark.

Goodman and Castro each hit two of Colorado's six homers. Troy Johnston and TJ Rumfield also went deep for the last-place Rockies (27-45), who ended a three-game losing streak.

Castro finished with four hits, including a grand slam off Scott Barlow in the eighth inning. Goodman drove in four runs and Kyle Karros also had four hits as the Rockies piled up 24 in all — one shy of the team mark established against Houston on Sept. 25, 2011.

The Athletics ended their Las Vegas homestand with a 4-2 record, winning three-game series against Milwaukee and Colorado at the home of their Triple-A affiliate. The big league club plans to move to the city full time in 2028.

Max Muncy and Tyler Soderstrom homered for the A's (35-36), who had won four straight. Lawrence Butler got three hits and Zack Gelof extended his hitting streak to 18 games.

Tomoyuki Sugano (7-4) got the win despite giving up eight runs and nine hits in five innings. Eiberson Castellano tossed three scoreless innings to earn a save in his major league debut.

Athletics starter Jeffrey Springs (3-7) allowed eight runs — six earned — and seven hits in four innings.

Colorado scored six times in the fifth to build a 14-6 lead. Goodman homered to begin an outburst capped by Tyler Freeman's run-scoring triple.

A's right fielder Carlos Cortes moved to the mound in the eighth and was their most effective pitcher, yielding one run and three hits in the final 1 2/3 innings.

Rockies: RHP Michael Lorenzen (2-8, 7.54 ERA) pitches Monday night at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs.

Athletics: Return home to West Sacramento, California, with J.T. Ginn (4-3, 3.15 ERA) scheduled to face Jared Jones (1-0, 4.73) and the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday.

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

Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom (21) is greeted by designated hitter Nick Kurt, right after they scored on a single hit by Carlos Cortes during the first inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)

Athletics' Carlos Cortes hits a two run single during the first inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)

Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)

Colorado Rockies' Hunter Goodman is greeted by teammates after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)

Colorado Rockies' Hunter Goodman rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)