Surprise, Ariz. ? Robinson Tejeda is finding new ways to tantalize hitters.

Tejeda struck out seven in four innings, and John Buck and Ross Gload hit two-run homers as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Texas Rangers, 4-1, Friday in the teams’ split-squad matchup.

Tejeda, a hard-throwing right-hander, has added a drop-down angle to his traditional delivery to give batters even more fits.

“He started that in September just to give them another look and also another pitch for him to feel confident to work in the zone,” catcher Buck said. “I think he feels comfortable if something is moving. It helps him to be a little more aggressive with the strike zone and add a little funk to it. It is hard to pick up. Usually guys when they drop down, it doesn’t come in as hard. I think his goes harder.”

Tejeda walked Hank Blalock to leadoff the fourth and gave up a run-scoring double to Marlon Byrd. Tejeda then struck out Frank Catalannotto, Jarrod Saltamacchia and Justin Smoak, all looking.

“He hit a lot of pitches right on the black in that series and he located that backdoor slider or cutter, whatever he wants to call it,” Buck said. “When you got somebody throwing that hard with four pitches for strikes and able to locate on the black like that with two different arm angles, it doesn’t make it real easy to hit.”

Tejeda, who gave up one run and four hits, lowered his earned run average to 1.74.

Buck hit an opposite-field home run in the sixth off Frank Francisco.

“It is funny how when you’re not trying to do that and all of a sudden you get that,” Buck said. “I was trying to hit that line drive at second. I got some good wood on it and got a better result than I expected.”

Brewers 5, Royals split squad 1

Phoenix (ap) — Zack Greinke said the curveball he threw to Prince Fielder was the best one he’s ever had hit out of a park.

He sought out the first baseman to find out how he did it.

Fielder hit his second homer in as many days, and Brewers starter Yovani Gallardo got back on track with five strikeouts over four scoreless innings in a victory against Kansas City Royals split squad on Friday.

Greinke (2-1) said he has no idea how Fielder even was able to reach his two-strike curveball down and away for a three-run homer in the first inning.

“Seriously, that was the best pitch I’ve ever made that got hit over the fence. That was probably the only pitch today that I did exactly what I wanted to do. When I bunted and bunted it foul, I was like, ‘How did you hit that?”‘ Greinke said. “That pitch was everything I wanted to do. It just shows you how good of a hitter he is.”

Fielder, who told Greinke he was just lucky, laughed about the run-in down the line.

“I just reacted. He throws so hard you can’t be looking for anything off speed and he’s got a great fastball and it’s all down. I was trying to just meet it. I got lucky that time. The next AB, he threw a changeup, same swing, perfect everything but I just missed,” said Fielder, who finished 2-for-3.

Fielder is shaking off his slow start this spring after coming into the game with a .217 average and just five hits,

Rickie Weeks also homered for the Brewers in the second off Greinke, who gave up at least one run in three innings. Greinke allowed eight hits and a walk after pitching 31/3 scoreless innings against the Brewers on Sunday.