Arlington, Texas ? The Kansas City Royals’ offense woke up late.

Carlos Beltran and Matt Stairs each hit a three-run home run, and the Royals rallied from a five-run deficit for a 7-6 victory Tuesday night over the Texas Rangers.

“Before, when we got down 5-0, it was like we were dead,” Royals manager Tony Pena said. “Tonight, we came back and swung the bats. You can build on something like this. We’re a better ball club than we’ve shown.”

Mike Sweeney also homered for the Royals, who stopped a three-game skid with only their fourth road win of the season.

Angel Berroa and Benito Santiago each had three hits for the Royals, who had a season-high 16. Kansas City hadn’t reached double digits in its previous nine games, batting .216 during that span.

Stairs’ three-run shot in the fifth energized the Royals.

“When Stairs hit that home run, that told us we had a chance to win this game,” Beltran said. “When we were down early, it looked difficult, but we fought back.”

Kansas City still trailed 5-3 in the sixth. Berroa doubled off starter R.A. Dickey, Desi Relaford followed with a single, and Beltran chased Dickey with his three-run shot to put Kansas City in front 6-5.

Sweeney followed with a homer off Jay Powell.

Dickey (4-3) allowed six runs and 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings.

“Going into the fifth inning with a 5-0 lead, I’m expected to hold it,” Dickey said.

Scott Sullivan (3-0) earned the win, allowing one run and one hit in 2 2/3 innings. Nate Field got three outs for his first major-league save.

6Sports video: Royals rally against Rangers

Herbert Perry’s solo homer in the seventh off Sullivan pulled Texas to 7-6.

Texas capitalized on two fielding lapses in the third by Kansas City’s battery to take a 2-0 lead.

The Rangers loaded the bases with nobody out against starter Jeremy Affeldt. Eric Young walked, Kevin Mench singled, and Gerald Laird was safe at first when Affeldt bobbled a bunt and failed to get off a throw for an error.

Michael Young’s sacrifice fly drove in the first run. Mench scored from third on Santiago’s passed ball.

Consecutive RBI doubles in the fourth by Brian Jordan, Eric Young and Mench made it 5-0.

In the fifth, Dickey retired the first two batters, then Sweeney reached on shortstop Michael Young’s fielding error. Juan Gonzalez followed with a single, and Stairs’ three-run drive off a high fastball with two outs got the Royals to 5-3.

“The big thing is it got our confidence back,” Stairs said. “When you get a big hit with two outs, it pumps the team up. It’s a huge win against an outstanding offensive team. A win like that can give a team some confidence.”

Affeldt allowed five runs and seven hits in four innings.

Notes: The Royals are 7-20 against right-handed starters. … The Rangers have lost four of their last five. … Gonzalez was greeted by a mix of boos and cheers in his first at-bat of the season against his former team. Gonzalez is the Rangers’ career leader in homers and RBIs. … Relaford left in the sixth after straining his left hamstring tendon while running to first. Mendy Lopez came in as a pinch runner. …Sullivan has won his last nine decisions.