Arlington, Texas ? Paul Byrd’s bid to become the AL’s first nine-game winner ended after just five Texas batters and 18 pitches.

The first five Rangers reached base and scored, and Texas went on to beat the Kansas City Royals 8-6 Sunday.

	When: 7:05 tonight.Where: Comiskey Park.TV: Channel 29 (cable channel 17).Pitchers: Jeremy Affeldt (1-2) vs. Jon Garland (5-4).KC record: 21-32.

“I just couldn’t get anything going,” Byrd said. “I couldn’t get location, and when I did, I didn’t have anything on it.”

Byrd (8-3) lasted just 3 2/3 innings, his shortest outing of the season, but the damage was done after the first inning.

Rusty Greer led off for Texas with a single and Herbert Perry was hit by a pitch. Alex Rodriguez had an RBI single and Rafael Palmeiro an RBI double before Juan Gonzalez extended his hitting streak to eight games with a two-run double. Mike Lamb followed with an RBI single.

Byrd (8-3) retired the next nine batters until Bill Haselman homered in the fourth. Byrd then gave up consecutive singles, a sacrifice fly by Perry and his only walk to end his shortest outing of the season with the Royals trailing 7-0.

Over 35 2/3 innings his previous five starts, Byrd had allowed 11 runs nine earned. He gave up seven earned runs and eight hits and had four strikeouts.

Chan Ho Park (2-2) started with four shutout innings before he walked the first two batters in the fifth.

Joe Randa hit a solo homer in the sixth. Park gave up five runs on five hits in his 51/3 innings. He struck out five and walked two.

Hideki Irabu pitched the ninth for his 12th save in 14 chances.

Rodriguez added his 18th homer off Brad Voyles in the seventh.