Zack Greinke pitches gem, helps Kansas City Royals beat Rangers in milestone game

Royals right-hander Zack Greinke noted last year that the only milestones he cares about involve his hitting, but with the universal designated hitter, his dreams of being a 10-10 guy — a pitcher who hits 10 home runs and steals 10 bases during a career in Major League Baseball — appear slim.

But Greinke admitted there was something to his latest accomplishment, which came in Wednesday’s 2-1 win over the Rangers.

Greinke pitched a gem in his 500th career start, allowing one run on four hits with a walk and three strikeouts over six innings.

“I like that 500-career-start thing,” Greinke said. “Not many numbers I’ve been interested in, and I found out about that last game that it was going to be 500 this time, so I think that was a pretty neat little number.”

Greinke’s strong outing helped the Royals end a four-game losing streak and finish their home stand with a 2-4 record. The Royals’ other victorious pitcher during this home stand was also Greinke, who won last Friday’s home stand opener against the Oakland A’s.

With Wednesday’s decision, Greinke tied Joe Niekro with the 47th-most starts in major-league history.

“Trying to get your head around 500 starts, it’s amazing,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “And you’re just not going to see many people who are ... able to do something like that and to do as well as he’s done it ...

“And then to go out against a very good offense that’s given him trouble in the past and put up that kind of start.”

The victory helped the Royals reverse — for a game at least — a troubling trend. They had won just six of their previous 25 series finales this season.

A trio of rookies got the game’s first run for the Royals. With two outs in the opening inning, Bobby Witt Jr. singled and veteran Hunter Dozier followed with a double.

Rookie first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino, called up from Triple-A Omaha this week, drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch to load the bases. MJ Melendez singled to center, bringing home Witt, but the inning ended with Dozier being thrown out at the plate.

The only blemish against Greinke was a fifth-inning solo home run by Rangers center fielder Leody Taveras.

But the Royals got that run right back when center fielder Kyle Isbel, who is also still considered a rookie, hit a 395-foot home run to right field to make it 2-1. It came in the bottom of the frame and was Isbel’s second home run in as many days.

“They’ve been good,” Matheny said of the Royals’ young hitters. “MJ took a couple of really good at-bats. Right there (in the first inning), we needed a big hit. It was unfortunate we weren’t able to plate two when we get a big hit like that with guys on second and third.

“And, Kyle comes up and gets a game-winning homer and gets pinch-hit for the next time. It’s a tough league. But he’s a good match right there. We really like how he’s built on what he did yesterday, just some of that confidence.”

Relief pitchers Amir Garrett, Taylor Clarke and Scott Barlow each threw a scoreless inning as the Royals improved to 27-47 this season.

Barlow picked up his 10th save of the season on a milestone day for him, as well. It was his 200th career big-league appearance.

It was also Greinke’s 100th career start at Kauffman Stadium. Did that mean anything to him?

“No,” Greinke admitted, “not as much.”