Arlington, Texas ? Jeremy Guthrie gave up a home run on his first pitch and not much else, pitching the Kansas City Royals past the Texas Rangers, 6-3, Saturday night for their 24th win in 30 games.

Alex Gordon had two hits, including a first-inning homer for his 15th of the season, and made a diving catch in left field for the AL Central leaders.

Guthrie (10-10) won for the fifth time in six starts. Shin-Soo Choo hit a leadoff homer — after that, Guthrie blanked the Rangers on six more hits before leaving after the eighth. He struck out two and walked one.

The Royals broke a 1-all tie by scoring three runs in the fifth inning, capitalizing on the wildness of Nick Tepesch (4-8). He gave up three four-pitch walks and two singles that inning.

Jarrod Dyson drove in three runs, matching a career high, with a bases-loaded walk and a two-run single for the Royals.

Aaron Crow worked the ninth for Kansas City, allowing two runs.

Tepesch unsuccessfully sought a third consecutive quality start for the first time in his two-year career in the majors. He allowed six runs on seven hits and three walks in 6 1/3 innings.

With the bases loaded in the fifth, Tepesch walked Dyson and allowed a two-run single to Omar Infante on an 0-2 pitch.

Dyson chased Tepesch in the seventh with the two-run single on which Lorenzo Cain slid in with the second run. The safe call was confirmed by video replay following a challenge by Texas manager Ron Washington.

Choo’s homer was his 14th leading off a game since the beginning of the 2012 season, most in the majors. Texas’ Adrian Beltre had his fourth consecutive multihit game.

Trainer’s room

Royals: 1B Eric Hosmer, out because of a stress fracture on his right hand since Aug. 2, is expected to undergo another X-ray on Monday after the team returns home.

Up next

Texas RHP Scott Baker (1-3) will make his fifth spot start of the season today in the regular spot of Yu Darvish, out since Aug. 9 with elbow inflammation. Baker has pitched only 7 2/3 innings since the All-Star break and will make his first start since July 13. He’ll oppose LHP Jason Vargas (10-5), whose road ERA of 2.07 is fifth-lowest in the AL.