KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Interstat) — Stephen Kolek pitched 7 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing five hits and striking out four, as the Kansas City Royals blanked the Houston Astros 4-0 on Sunday at Kauffman Stadium. Maikel Garcia drove in three runs, delivering an RBI single in the first inning and a two-run double during a three-run third. Jac Caglianone added a run-scoring single in the third. Spencer Arrighetti took the loss, surrendering four runs on eight hits over six innings with seven strikeouts. The Royals improved to 29-43, while the Astros fell to 33-40. Attendance was 23,730. The game lasted 2 hours, 19 minutes.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Interstat) — Stephen Kolek pitched 7 1/3 shutout innings and Maikel Garcia drove in three runs as the Kansas City Royals blanked the Houston Astros 4-0 on Sunday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals, who had dropped the first two games of the series by scores of 8-7 and 10-8, avoided a sweep and improved to 29-43. Houston fell to 33-40. Kolek (4-1) allowed five hits, all singles, and struck out four without a walk. He retired 10 consecutive batters from the second through the fifth innings and faced only one batter over the minimum after the third. The right-hander lowered his ERA to 2.87 over 62 innings this season, having won his previous two starts against Texas on June 9 and at Cincinnati on June 3. Spencer Arrighetti (7-2) took the loss after permitting four runs on eight hits over six innings. He struck out seven but was hurt by the Royals’ three-run third inning. Kansas City struck first in the bottom of the first. Bobby Witt Jr. singled, stole second base for his 25th theft of the season, and scored on Garcia’s single to left field for a 1-0 lead. The decisive inning came in the third. Isaac Collins drew a leadoff walk. Carter Jensen singled to center, sending Collins to third. After Witt popped out, Jac Caglianone singled to right to plate Collins, with Jensen moving to second. Garcia then doubled down the left-field line, scoring both Jensen and Caglianone and giving the Royals a 4-0 advantage. Garcia’s double was his 16th of the season. Garcia finished 3 for 4 with three RBIs. Witt went 2 for 4 with a stolen base. Kameron Misner added two hits in three at-bats. Houston managed only five hits. Brice Matthews led off the third with a double, his fifth, but was left stranded. The Astros mounted their best threat in the seventh after Yordan Alvarez and Christian Walker opened with singles off Kolek. But Joey Loperfido flied out, and Cam Smith grounded into a double play started by Kolek, who fielded the ball and threw to second before Michael Massey relayed to first to end the inning. The Astros put two more runners on in the eighth against Royals reliever Steven Cruz. Matthews walked and Raynel Delgado singled, but Cruz struck out pinch-hitter Taylor Trammell and Jeremy Peña grounded out. Cruz pitched two-thirds of an inning. Daniel Lynch IV worked a perfect ninth with one strikeout. Kolek left after allowing a two-out single to Delgado in the eighth. He threw 87 pitches, 62 for strikes. For Houston, relievers Alimber Santa and Nate Pearson each threw a scoreless inning. Santa gave up one hit in the seventh, and Pearson struck out two in the eighth. The game lasted 2 hours, 19 minutes in front of an announced crowd of 23,730. Houston’s offense, which had scored 18 runs over the previous two games, was held scoreless for the first time since a 5-0 loss to Oakland on June 7. The Astros collected only five hits, with Matthews going 1 for 2 with a walk. Alvarez and Walker each went 1 for 4. Collin Price, the Houston catcher, struck out twice. Kansas City’s defense turned two double plays, including a key one in the seventh that snuffed the Astros’ last real scoring chance. The Royals also benefited from a double play started by center fielder Kameron Misner in the second inning when he caught a fly ball and threw to first to double off a runner. The Astros next host the Detroit Tigers on Monday for a three-game series. The Royals travel to Washington to face the Nationals on Monday. The Interstat game simulator had projected a final score of Houston Astros 5, Kansas City Royals 4. Houston had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The total score of 4 went over the over/under line of 8.5.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Interstat) — The Houston Astros and Kansas City Royals close their three-game series Sunday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium, with first pitch expected under rainy skies and temperatures near 83 degrees. Houston (32-39) sends right-hander Spencer Arrighetti (7-1) to the mound. The Astros also list right-hander Stephen Kolek (3-1) as a probable pitcher. Arrighetti looks to build on a strong start to the season after Houston’s 10-8 win Friday and a 3-0 loss Saturday. Royals right-hander Steven Cruz has been a bright spot in the Kansas City bullpen. Over his past four appearances, covering 5 2/3 innings, Cruz has allowed no earned runs on just one hit while striking out six. He tossed two scoreless innings in Friday’s loss. Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez remains a key threat. In Friday’s victory, Alvarez went 3-for-5 with two home runs and six RBIs. Over his past 10 games, he has four homers and 15 RBIs, including a 4-for-5 showing June 3 against Pittsburgh. Kansas City (28-42) has lost four of its past five games. Second baseman Michael Massey drove in two runs Friday, and the Royals’ pitching staff held Houston scoreless Saturday behind a combined shutout. Houston has won two of the first three meetings this season. The Astros took the opener 10-8 on Friday, then the Royals answered with a 3-0 win Saturday. The Interstat game simulator projects a 5-4 Houston victory. The Astros are installed as a -1.5 run favorite. The over/under is 8.5 runs. Following Sunday’s game, Houston opens a six-game homestand Monday against Detroit. Kansas City travels to Washington for a three-game series beginning Monday.