ARLINGTON, Texas - Derek Holland struck out eight and Nelson Cruz hit a long tiebreaking three-run homer and the Texas Rangers beat the weary Kansas City Royals 7-2 Friday night.
Holland (5-2) allowed two runs, one earned, over seven innings to wrap up his undefeated May. The left-hander was 4-0 in his six May starts, matching a career best for wins in any month.
The Royals, after playing until 3:14 a.m. Friday for a victory at St. Louis, led 1-0 after Adam Moore led off the third with a double and scored on a single by Alcides Escobar.
Texas went ahead in the bottom of the third when Cruz pulled a ball an estimated 419 feet, hitting a scoreboard high above the first section of seats in left field, to make it 4-1 against Wade Davis (3-5).
Adrian Beltre led off the Rangers seventh with his 11th homer, his fourth hit of the game. It was his fourth four-hit game this season - all in May, the first Texas player with four such games in a month. He had 44 hits in May and is hitting .306, over .300 for the first time this season.
Beltre's eight-game hitting streak includes multiple hits in five of his past seven games.
The Rangers (34-20) have the best record in the American League. They have played exactly one-third of their regular season, matching their most wins at this point.
Davis retired the first two Rangers batters to start the third before David Murphy's infield single and Lance Berkman's hit.
Beltre lined a single up the middle to drive in the tying run before Cruz hit his 13th homer, his fifth game in a row with an extra-base hit.