Rougned Odor homers twice for Rangers in 8-3 win over Royals

Kansas City Royals’ Eric Hosmer swings for a two-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers on Friday, July 29, 2016, in Arlington, Texas.

The Royals are 0-6 in Kennedy’s last six road starts, 1-5 in their last six overall, and 7-19 in their last 26 road games, while the Rangers are 20-8 in their last 28 Saturday games, 7-15 in their last 22 overall, and 6-0 in Perez’ last six home starts.

Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor hit his 20th and 21st home runs of his year in Friday’s 8-3 win over the Kansas City Royals, reaching the 20-homer barrier for the first time in his three Major League Baseball seasons.

Moreland’s 17th homer landed in the second deck of seats in right field.

Brooks Pounders (1-1) had gotten the first two outs in the ninth before Moreland hit a 420-foot blast on 1-0 pitch, setting off a wild celebration at home plate after the Rangers won their third straight for their AL-high 61st win.

Moreland homered twice in the series opener Thursday night, including a tiebreaking shot in the eighth inning for a 3-2 victory. Ian Kennedy takes the mound for Kansas City; Martin Perez gets the start for Texas.

Griffin had missed two seasons after Tommy John surgery, but was 3-1 in six starts through the first week of May before going on the DL.

“I feel pretty good at the home plate right now I’m just looking for my pitching and hitting my pitch and that’s it”, Odor said after the game. He struck out five and walked two while allowing six runs and nine hits. He spotted his fastball really well.

First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. Fox Sports Kansas City will telecast the game.

Follow along on your desktop or mobile device during Saturday’s Royals-Ranger game for live stats and updates from Rustin Dodd, The Star’s Royals beat reporter, and other Star sportswriters and editors.

Jose Urena (1-3) allowed eight runs in 4⅓ innings in what is expected to be his final start in the Marlins’ rotation after Miami acquired starters Andrew Cashner and Colin Rea from San Diego earlier in the day. That got the Royals within 5-2 and chased Griffin.

The Rangers failed to score in the fourth after loading the bases with no outs.

Before Fridays game the Royals activated Lorenzo Cain for the disabled list and sent Brent Eibner to Omaha. Hochevar was diagnosed on Friday with thoracic outlet syndrome, a condition that compresses blood flow in the upper body, by Dallas specialist Dr. Gregory Pearl.