Kansas City, Mo. ? Kenny Rogers is back in the win column.

Texas runner Alfonso Soriano, left, slides into second for a stolen base under Kansas City's Denny Hocking. Royals shortstop Angel Berroa is at right. The Rangers beat the Royals, 5-4, Thursday in Kansas City, Mo.

Rogers won for the first time since July 16, and Rod Barajas homered twice and drove in four runs to lead the Texas Rangers past the Kansas City Royals, 5-4, Thursday night.

Making his fifth start since serving a 13-game suspension for shoving two TV cameramen, Rogers allowed four runs – three earned – and 11 hits in seven inn-ings. The All-Star lefty was backed by three double plays in the first three innings.

The 40-year-old Rogers (12-7) was 0-3 in his previous six starts, but he improved to 3-0 against the Royals this season with his first win since beating Oakland 10-8 on July 16. His earned-run average rose slightly to 3.18.

“He worked down in the zone. He worked the corners. We’d like to have fewer runs scored, but when you look back it was a good outing for him. It was a positive outing. It is something we can build on,” Barajas said.

Alfonso Soriano opened the fourth with a double and scored on Hank Blalock’s one-out double. After rookie left-hander J.P. Howell (1-5) walked Phil Nevin, Barajas hit a 3-1 pitch off the left-field foul pole for a 4-2 Texas lead.

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“That’s a tough lineup and obviously they have a lot of power,” Howell said. “I wish it was 335 feet down the line, instead of 330. It is the one pitch I’d like to have back.”