Bruce Bochy watched from the Texas dugout Tuesday night as, one by one, the Rangers stepped to the plate in the sixth inning to face Kansas City Royals reliever Carlos Hernández and sent his pitches right back at him.

All except for the one that Marcus Semien sent over the center field wall.

Semien’s three-run shot highlighted a five-run inning that broke open a close game, and Adolis Garcia added another three-run homer in the eighth, as the Rangers routed the Royals 12-2 to reach their best 17-game start since the 2013 season.

Sandy León also drove in a pair of runs, and three Rangers that reached base on walks from erratic Royals starter Brad Keller also scored, as Texas (11-6) improved to five games over .500 for the first time since July 16, 2019.

The Rangers also dealt the Royals their fifth straight loss. They are 1-11 at home this season, and their 4-14 start is the second worst in franchise history behind only the 2-16 start that Kansas City had in 1992.

Nathan Eovaldi (2-2) went six innings, allowing two runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out five. It was quite the bounce back after last week, when the Rangers’ right-hander allowed six runs on 10 hits in five innings against Kansas City.

Keller (2-2) allowed three runs on three hits and five walks, including leadoff walks in three of his four innings.

UP NEXT

Rangers LHP Martin Perez (2-1, 2.87 ERA) faces Royals RHP Brady Singer (1-0, 4.91) in the series finale Wednesday.