Kansas City, Mo. ? Dustin Nippert is making a habit of rescuing the Rangers.

Nippert allowed one hit in a stellar job of relief pitching, and Texas scored seven times off the Kansas City bullpen in a 7-2 victory over the Royals on Sunday.

The unheralded Nippert was forced into action when starter Kevin Millwood left after two innings due to tightness in his left gluteus. He gave up a run in the seventh on Alex Gordon’s single, the only hit he allowed.

Nippert (3-0) walked two, hit a batter and struck out one in 42/3 innings.

“Nip saved us again,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said. “He gave us 52/3 innings one day and came out there today and almost duplicates it. We needed him. He pounded the strike zone, kept them off balance and really did a great job.”

Nippert filled in for starter Vicente Padilla, who was diagnosed as having the swine flu, and beat the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday.

“A pretty good week, I guess,” Nippert said. “It almost felt like a start. I wasn’t really expecting Milly to come out. Then Hawk (bullpen coach Andy Hawkins) told me to start stretching in the second, that something might be wrong with him. He couldn’t go. It was kind of quick.

“I really don’t have a role — starting, relieving or wherever they want me. If they got a spot for me, I’m glad to do it. Just give me a call.”

Nippert retired the first 11 batters he faced, mixing speeds with an effective changeup.

The game was scoreless until the seventh, when Royals second baseman Alberto Callaspo dropped Ian Kinsler’s pop up with two outs, allowing Nelson Cruz to score. Michael Young and Marlon Byrd contributed run-producing singles after that.

“We caught a break with the dropped pop fly,” Washington said. “From that point on, we played the game we like to play. We stole some bases, put the ball in play, made some good things happen. Things just opened up right there in the seventh and eighth and we took advantage of it.”

Ron Mahay (1-1), the first of four relievers, faced two batters and gave up two hits to take the loss for the Royals. They’ve lost 11 of 12 overall and went 1-8 on the homestand.

“We had more trouble out of the bullpen,” Royals manager Trey Hillman said. “That always takes emotion out of you when you give up three unearned runs in one inning. That happens regardless on how you’re going, but it’s even more so when you’ve only got a couple of hits on the board and you’re having a miserable time offensively.”

Kansas City starter Sidney Ponson pitched six scoreless innings.