Kansas City Royals team caught in a freefall.

Hamels allowed four singles over seven innings Parris Campbell Jersey , Delino DeShields doubled home two runs and the Rangers beat the Royals 4-1 on Tuesday night to extend their winning streak to a season-high four games.

The Royals have lost eight straight, matching their season high, and 14 of 15. They own a major league-worst 10-28 home record, and their 22-51 overall mark is the worst in franchise history after 73 games.

Hamels (4-6) picked up his first win since May 22. The run off him in the fifth was unearned, and he has yet to allow an earned run in 20 innings over three starts at Kauffman Stadium.

”To be able to get the runs that we did in the second and third, that was huge,” Hamels said. ”Just to kind of let you settle down and I felt good from there.”

Keone Kela pitched a spotless ninth for his 17th save in as many chances.

DeShields’ second-inning double scored Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Robinson Chirinos.

Kiner-Falefa, who had three hits and walked, doubled home Adrian Beltre in the third. Jurickson Profar scored the second run of the inning after third baseman Mike Moustakas‘ fielding error to make it 4-0.

”Early in the day he (Kiner-Falefa) wasn’t initially in the lineup, but it’s a testament to what he does every single day, the professionalism he shows up with, even as a young player Bobby Okereke Jersey , a rookie player, he comes prepared,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. ”He was one of the first players at the ballpark ready to play and he came up big for us tonight with the doubles.”

Royals starter Jason Hammel (2-8) was removed after 5 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on nine hits and four walks. Hammel is 0-6 in nine home starts since an Aug. 20 victory over Cleveland.

”Four walks and two of them came around to score,” Hammel said. ”That’s the thing that will irk me as I’m trying to sleep. I had trouble gripping the ball the first few innings. I was just sweating like a dog. It’s an excuse. It’s something I’ve dealt with my whole career. I sweat a lot.”

Rosell Herrera’s two-out double in the fifth scored Alex Gordon with the Kansas City run.

Whit Merrifield led off the Royals’ first with a walk, took second on a wild pitch and stole third with none out, but did not score. Salvador Perez grounded into his 12th double play after Moustakas walked to end the inning.

”We’ve hit into our 73rd double play of the year, something crazy,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. ”It just boggles your mind that that has happened so many times.”

Gordon picked up his seventh outfield assist of the season, throwing out Elvis Andrus trying to score from second on Profar’s ninth-inning single.

GAME TWO TIDBITS

The Rangers have more than half of their 31 victories in the second games of series. They are 16-8 in Game 2s.

JUST LIKE DAD

Adalberto Mondesi doubled off Rangers RHP Bartolo Colon on Monday. His father Raul Mondesi went 2 for 11 off Colon. The Mondesi family is the fourth father-son combo to each record a plate appearance against the 45-year-old pitcher.

ROSTER MOVES

Rangers: LHP Yohander Mendez was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock after violating team rules. RHP Austin Bibens-Dirkx was recalled from the same club. … Texas traded RHP Deck McGuire to the Los Angeles Angels for cash or a player to be named.

Royals: RHP Heath Fillmyer was recalled from Triple-A Omaha, where he was 4-5 with a 5.75 ERA in 13 starts. He will be used in relief.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: 1B Lucas Duda (right foot plantar fasciitis) went 2 for 5 with a three-run homer and a double in Omaha’s 9-2 victory Tuesday in Reno in his second minor league rehab game. OF Jorge Bonifacio, who is suspended for the first 80 games for violating the MLB’s drug policy Khari Willis Jersey , is hitting .448 in seven games with Omaha.

UP NEXT

Rangers: Bibens-Dirkx (0-1, 6.55) will start the series finale. He went 2-3 with a 4.47 ERA in 11 starts with Round Rock.

Royals: RHP Jakob Junis (5-7, 4.43) has lost his past four decisions. He has never faced the Rangers.

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NOT THEM AGAIN!Sorry America — at least outside of New England — but the team you love to hate is headed back to the Super Bowl.Sure, there are negatives to point out with these Patriots. They haven’t looked much more than mediocre on the road. Their defense is vulnerable, especially against dynamic passers, and Kansas City certainly has one of those in Patrick Mahomes.New England’s coaching staff tends to take away an opponent’s biggest threat. Who is that with the Chiefs, though? Mahomes has Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce and Sammy Watkins as dangerous targets. He has a running game that hasn’t really missed Kareem Hunt since he was released.Oh yeah, Tom Brady also is 41. At times, he’s looked it this season.And there are so many positives to list, especially when the Patriots (12-5) get this far. Such as being to eight Super Bowls with Brady at quarterback, winning five. Such as their superb demolition of the Chargers Josh Allen Jersey , an opponent many thought was the most balanced team in the postseason; though the Chargers’ defense looked from the outset as if it wanted no part of frigid Foxborough.Oh yeah, Brady is 41. He’s seen pretty much everything, and will particularly like the looks of the spotty pass coverage Kansas City (13-4) provides.The entire environment seems to work for New England.“Yeah, I think this team thrives on it,” receiver Phillip Dorsett says. “Obviously, there’s no elephant in the room, we’re 3-5 on the road and everybody is going to criticize us for that. We’ve got our backs against the wall and we’ve just got to go out there and play our best game. That’s the only thing that really matters.”It also matters that Chiefs coach Andy Reid rarely outsmarts the Patriots. Indeed, Reid’s only Super Bowl trip was spoiled by New England when it beat Reid’s Eagles for the 2004 title. Reid is 2-6 vs. the Patriots, and lost 43-40 on Oct. 14 at Gillette Stadium.The Chiefs are 3-point favorites, which accounts for the home-field edge. Except in the upcoming arctic conditions, and with the pedigree of the Patriots, this is a matchup Kansas City won’t win.UPSET SPECIAL: PATRIOTS Jawaan Taylor Jersey ,27-23Los Angeles Rams (plus 3) at New Orleans SaintsA 45-35 shootout victory for Drew Brees and the Saints on Nov. 4 came in the Superdome. These two have a return matchup Sunday to get to the Super Bowl, and with all their firepower, this one could come down to one factor: experience.That edge clearly falls to the hosts. New Orleans (14-3) has been a postseason regular since coach Sean Payton and Brees hooked up in 2006. This is the Saints’ third NFC championship appearance — a loss at Chicago in January 2007, an overtime win over Minnesota at home three years later. The Saints won the Super Bowl that season, as well.Los Angeles (14-3) had the only unanimous member of the All-Pro team, defensive tackle Aaron Donald. And the Saints lost key DT Sheldon Rankins to a torn Achilles tendon last weekend. Still, this side of the ball looks like a wash.The site of this game is more critical than in the AFC. The way the Superdome rocks can be disruptive to opponents, and uplifting to the homies. Just look at the Saints’ win against defending champion Philadelphia last Sunday.So give us Brees’ calmness and creativity over Jared Goff’s relative newness.BEST BET: SAINTS, 34-26