wins by Texas starters during that stretch are from Hamels. Hes 3-0 since then with a 0.84 ERA, an opponents batting average of .190 and 23 strik

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Cole Hamels provided another reminder of what an ace means to a beleaguered starting rotation.Hamels (12-2) allowed two runs and six hits in eight innings, matching his longest start of the season, to help the Texas Rangers beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2 Thursday night.Hamels 123 pitches were 10 more than his previous high for the year. He didnt allow an earned run in his previous two starts, totaling 13 1/3 innings.Its always great when youre able to go out there, youre doing well and youre having non-stressful innings and theyre pretty quick, the 32-year-old Hamels said. Youre able to keep going out there, keep a good rhythm, a good pace.Texas manager Jeff Banister said: Hes our front-end guy. I mean, hes our ace. Hes the guy that sits in the front of that rotation.The Rangers managed only four hits off Yordano Ventura (6-9) -- including three home runs. Mitch Morelands second of the game broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth inning. Rougned Odor also went deep.Sam Dyson earned his 21st save in 23 opportunities, stranding the tying run at third base after walking the leadoff batter in the ninth.The AL West-leading Rangers are 5-8 since the All-Star break, the 10-game lead of late June now at three. The only wins by Texas starters during that stretch are from Hamels. Hes 3-0 since then with a 0.84 ERA, an opponents batting average of .190 and 23 strikeouts against four walks.The game was a pitching rematch of the Rangers 7-4 win in Kansas City last Saturday. Hamels allowed one unearned run over 5 1/3 innings and also got that win. Ventura was the loser then, giving up three runs in five innings.You think you know what hes got, said Eric Hosmer, who went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts. He did a good job of mixing in a lot more offspeed pitches.Hamels will get an extra days rest before his next start. Banister said that and recent struggled by Texas bullpen helped determine that Hamels, at 96 pitches through seven innings, would go out again for the eighth.Catcher Robinson Chirinos said he asked Hamels after the seventh how he felt. Hes like, `Lets go, Chirinos said. He deserved that win. He was outstanding.Hamels 12 strikeouts equaled his Texas high, set last September vs. Seattle. His career high -- set with Philadelphia -- is 15. The 12 is the most by a Rangers pitcher this season.Odors 19th of the season added to his career high and went 465 feet into the upper deck in right field, the longest of his career.MORELAND IS LOCKED INBoth homers by the left-handed hitting Moreland were to the opposite field. It was his 10th career multi-homer game and second of the season. He has five homers in his last 11 hits.Banister said Moreland, 30, is unaffected by the recent call-up of power-hitting prospect Joey Gallo, who will share time at first base with Moreland.Mitch is a pro, Banister said. He understands. He knows hes a part of this lineup. Hes a big part of this lineup. So, there was no real conversation that needed to be had.SHORT HOPSNeither team had a hit with runners in scoring position. Kansas City was 0 for 11 while Texas didnt have an at-bat in that situation. . The game began after a 35-minute rain delay. It was the second rain delay in three days, an unusual summer occurrence in Arlington. ... The first son of Royals 3B Cheslor Cuthbert was born on Thursday morning in Venezuela.TRAINERS ROOMRoyals: RHP Luke Hochevar was placed on the 15-day disabled list with symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome.Rangers: LHP Derek Holland (shoulder) is expected to throw a bullpen session on Friday. One of the scheduled hitters is RF Shin Soo-Choo (hamstring strain).UP NEXTFriday nights game will be a pitching rematch of Sunday afternoons 2-1 Texas win at Kauffman Stadium in which each starter allowed one run and got a no-decision. Royals RHP Edinson Volquez (8-8) allowed seven hits in six innings, Rangers RHP A.J. Griffin (3-1) four hits in five innings. Cheap Retro Air Jordan 1 . A knee to the thigh might have stung him the most, but his sixth straight double-double made up for the brief burst of pain. Wholesale Real Air Jordan 1 . Pedro scored from a pass by Lionel Messi in the 33rd minute and added two more goals in the 47th and 72nd after Valdes saved his second penalty in four days following his stop in Wednesdays 4-0 over Ajax in the Champions League. http://www.airjordan1cheap.com/ . -- Jonathan Drouin gave Halifax the boost it needed to edge host Sherbrooke Phoenix 3-2 in a shootout in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Discount Air Jordan 1 . PETERSBURG, Fla. Air Jordan 1 From China . 10 Texas A&Ms offence dominated as usual against SMU. MONACO -- ??? Monaco sealed first place in Group E of the Champions League with a 2-1 win over Tottenham in a thrilling display of attacking football on Tuesday.Needing just a draw against the only side to remain unbeaten in the Premier League to progress to the knockout phase, Monaco did not hold back. However, it took the hosts 48 minutes to break the deadlock with a goal from Djibril Sidibe, who then turned provider when Thomas Lemar scored the winner five minutes later.Harry Kane had equalized from the penalty spot for Spurs, which can no longer qualify for the knockout phase.We got ourselves back in the game at 1-1 and it was schoolboy to concede straight after that, Kane said. We had to try to grind out a win because we were not great tonight. The second goal took the stuffing out of us. I just dont think on the day we were good enough.Monaco went ahead when Sidibe, unmarked in the box, planted a powerful header into the net from Benjamin Mendys cross.Monaco could not hold on to its lead for long as a rare mistake from Kamil Glik, who dragged Dele Alli down in the area, resulted in a penalty. Kane converted it with a powerful spot-kick.But Spurs defensive inadequacies were exposed less than a minute after their equalizer. From the resulting kick-off, Sidibe burst down the right before crossing for Lemar. The highly-praised midfielder, who scored in the corresponding fixture in September at Wembley, restored Monacos advantage with a shot into the far corner.It was a great evening, Sidibe said. Were playing with a conquering mindset at the moment.It was a deserved win for Monaco, which was the better team for most of the game.In a lively start, Tottenham createdd the first dangerous move when Son Heung-min beat the offside trap on a swift counterattack but lost his one-on-one with Danijel Subasic.dddddddddddd The South-Korean winger vainly tried to dribble the Monaco keeper and was forced wide.The hosts replied immediately through Fabinho, who made the most of a poor clearance to make his way into the box and was brought down by Eric Dier. Radamel Falcao, the Monaco captain, took the penalty -- only to see his low shot to the bottom corner superbly blocked by Hugo Lloriss diving save.With Kevin Wimmer replacing Jan Vertonghen in the heart of Tottenhams back four, Spurs struggled defensively and Monaco -- the highest-scoring side in Europes main domestic leagues -- gradually took control.With its midfielders often losing possession and committing a series of fouls as they tried to recover the ball, Tottenham failed to produce a single shot in goal during the opening 45 minutes.The French league side had another good chance when Mendy sent a cross-shot goalwards that Lloris parried away. Left unmarked in the area, Monaco striker Valere Germain tried his luck from the rebound but his header was too weak to surprise Lloris.Falcao and Sidibe then missed the target and Germain again came close after a pass from Bernardo Silva in midfield sent him through. The striker raced down the right flank and fired an angled low shot that ended just wide.Monaco created two more clear chances through Glik and Falcao after Lemar put the hosts back in front but Lloris ensured a nervy finale with some decisive saves. ' ' '