HOUSTON (AP) - Bruce Chen pitched into the sixth inning on three days' rest and the Kansas City Royals beat the Houston Astros 2-1 on Wednesday.
Alex Gordon tripled and scored for the Royals, who won the last two games of the three-game set. Thirteen of Kansas City's last 14 games have been decided by two or fewer runs.
Chen (6-6) struck out six in 5 2-3 innings and was charged with one run and five hits. Pitching on three days' rest for the sixth time in his career, Chen bounced back from his last outing when he yielded six runs and seven hits in just 1 2-3 innings against St. Louis, but still received a no-decision in the Royals' 10-7 loss.
Houston starter Jordan Lyles (1-4) gave up two runs and three hits in seven innings. The Astros had eight hits, compared to just four for Kansas City, but they went 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position.
Houston put runners on the corners with one out in the ninth, but Jonathan Broxton struck out Brian Bixler and retired Jordan Schafer to earn his 18th save in 21 chances.
The Royals grabbed a 1-0 lead in the fifth. Mike Moustakas hit a leadoff double, moved up on Alcides Escobar's grounder and scored on Brayan Pena's infield out.
Gordon tripled with one out in the sixth and scored when Yuniesky Betancourt reached on an error by shortstop Jed Lowrie. Billy Butler then bounced into a double play to end the inning.
