ARLINGTON, Texas -- Cole Hamels provided another reminder of what an ace means to a beleaguered starting rotation.Hamels (12-2) allowed two runs and six hits in eight innings, matching his longest start of the season, to help the Texas Rangers beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2 Thursday night.Hamels 123 pitches were 10 more than his previous high for the year. He didnt allow an earned run in his previous two starts, totaling 13 1/3 innings.Its always great when youre able to go out there, youre doing well and youre having non-stressful innings and theyre pretty quick, the 32-year-old Hamels said. Youre able to keep going out there, keep a good rhythm, a good pace.Texas manager Jeff Banister said: Hes our front-end guy. I mean, hes our ace. Hes the guy that sits in the front of that rotation.The Rangers managed only four hits off Yordano Ventura (6-9) -- including three home runs. Mitch Morelands second of the game broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth inning. Rougned Odor also went deep.Sam Dyson earned his 21st save in 23 opportunities, stranding the tying run at third base after walking the leadoff batter in the ninth.The AL West-leading Rangers are 5-8 since the All-Star break, the 10-game lead of late June now at three. The only wins by Texas starters during that stretch are from Hamels. Hes 3-0 since then with a 0.84 ERA, an opponents batting average of .190 and 23 strikeouts against four walks.The game was a pitching rematch of the Rangers 7-4 win in Kansas City last Saturday. Hamels allowed one unearned run over 5 1/3 innings and also got that win. Ventura was the loser then, giving up three runs in five innings.You think you know what hes got, said Eric Hosmer, who went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts. He did a good job of mixing in a lot more offspeed pitches.Hamels will get an extra days rest before his next start. Banister said that and recent struggled by Texas bullpen helped determine that Hamels, at 96 pitches through seven innings, would go out again for the eighth.Catcher Robinson Chirinos said he asked Hamels after the seventh how he felt.Hes like, Lets go, Chirinos said. He deserved that win. He was outstanding.Hamels 12 strikeouts equaled his Texas high, set last September vs. Seattle. His career high -- set with Philadelphia -- is 15. The 12 is the most by a Rangers pitcher this season.Odors 19th of the season added to his career high and went 465 feet into the upper deck in right field, the longest of his career.MORELAND IS LOCKED INBoth homers by the left-handed hitting Moreland were to the opposite field. It was his 10th career multi-homer game and second of the season. He has five homers in his last 11 hits.Banister said Moreland, 30, is unaffected by the recent call-up of power-hitting prospect Joey Gallo, who will share time at first base with Moreland.Mitch is a pro, Banister said. He understands. He knows hes a part of this lineup. Hes a big part of this lineup. So, there was no real conversation that needed to be had.SHORT HOPSNeither team had a hit with runners in scoring position. Kansas City was 0 for 11 while Texas didnt have an at-bat in that situation. . The game began after a 35-minute rain delay. It was the second rain delay in three days, an unusual summer occurrence in Arlington. ... The first son of Royals 3B Cheslor Cuthbert was born on Thursday morning in Venezuela.TRAINERS ROOMRoyals: RHP Luke Hochevar was placed on the 15-day disabled list with symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome.Rangers: LHP Derek Holland (shoulder) is expected to throw a bullpen session on Friday. One of the scheduled hitters is RF Shin Soo-Choo (hamstring strain).UP NEXTFriday nights game will be a pitching rematch of Sunday afternoons 2-1 Texas win at Kauffman Stadium in which each starter allowed one run and got a no-decision. Royals RHP Edinson Volquez (8-8) allowed seven hits in six innings, Rangers RHP A.J. Griffin (3-1) four hits in five innings.Nike Air Max 90 Grey . Darren Helm scored on Detroits sixth attempt in the shootout and then Jonas Gustavsson stopped Andrew Shaws shot, lifting the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night. Nike Air Max 90 Blue . Peter Gammons, an analyst for Major League Baseballs network and website, drew the ire of hockey fans on Sunday when he criticized the two NHL teams on Twitter for their physical game the night before. http://www.airmax90outletonline.com/ . Robinson finished with 17 points, all but two in the second half, and Lawson had 14 after halftime and finished with a game-high 11 assists as the Nuggets handed Dallas its first home loss in eight games this season. J.J. Hickson led Denver with 22, and Kenneth Faried added 10 points and 10 rebounds. Cheap Nike Air Max 90 Mens . LOUIS -- Attorneys for the St. Nike Air Max 90 Shoes Sale . Aduriz headed home Markel Susaetas cross in the sixth minute to open the scoring at San Mames Stadium. He bettered that with a long-range blast that went in off the goal frame in the 18th, and converted a penalty in the 72nd after Diego Mainz was sent off for fouling Aduriz with only the goalkeeper to beat.TORONTO -- Terrence Ross helped the Toronto Raptors put a stop to the Milwaukee Bucks comeback effort.After seeing Milwaukee cut a 26-point deficit to just 10 after three quarters, the reserve swingman scored the first seven points of the fourthto key a 14-2 run and the Raptors pulled away for a 122-100 win Monday night.It was the Raptors sixth straight victory over the Bucks, and their 12th win in the last 13 meetings.We had to pick up our intensity, Ross said after finishing with a season-high 25 points. They made their push, they made their run just like everybody else is going to do, and we had to come back and make ours, and I think the second unit helped do that.While DeMar DeRozan led the way with 30 points in the victory, the Raptors benefited from strong shooting from throughout the lineup. Toronto shot 50.6 percent from the field and 56 percent from 3-point range, improving to 7-1 this season when they shoot 50 percent or better from the field.While acknowledging the contributions of Ross, Toronto coach Dwane Casey tipped his cap to the play of point guard Kyle Lowry, who had 18 points and seven assists, for finding the teams shooters in stride.Kyles doing a good job when theyre trying to blitz him and kicking it out and guys are making shots, Casey said. Like Ive always said when we were struggling shooting, its a make-or-miss league and guys are doing a good job stepping into them with conviction and taking good shots.After losing a third straight game, Milwaukee coach Jason Kidd was less than impressed. Though Giannis Antetokonmpo had 30 points, his fourth 30-point game of the season, Kidd watched as his team missed its first 13 3-point attempts and finish the game shooting 16.7 percent from beyond the arc.After briefly having a lead, Milwaukee gave it up at the 2:52 mark and never came close again. Kidd said his team had made it too easy for one of the NBAs best teams.It was easy the whole night, no matter 3s, layups, (the Raptors) were in character the whole night from the start, he said. We werent, we just didnt put up any resistance, our defense was non-existent.And while seeing DeRozan getting 30 points is hardly new -- it was his 12th such game this season -- Jabari Parrker, who had 27, said his team shouldnt be letting a player like Ross burn them.ddddddddddddYou can let other players get their rhythm still, but him, nothing against him, we cant let the wild card get us like that, he said.TIP-INSBucks: Despite making 10 or more 3-pointers in their last three games, Milwaukee was held to just 4 of 24 from beyond the arc by Toronto. ... Bucks rookie Thon Maker, who played high-school basketball in nearby Orangeville, Ontario, played his first professional game in Canada, finishing with three points and three rebounds. ... The Bucks continued their strong play in the paint. Averaging 49.2 points per game coming into the game, good for second in the league, Milwaukee had 54 points in the paint on Monday.Raptors: The Raptors improved to 10-3 against Eastern Conference opponents this season, with all three losses coming against Cleveland. ... Toronto scored at least 100 points for the 11th straight game, the longest active streak in the NBA.THE CURSE OF VINCE CARTERI dont know, man. Im telling you, I started calling it the curse of Vince Carter. Nobodys allowed to do 2-foot windmills in the ACC until he retires, Im guessing. -- Ross on rimming out on a wide-open dunk with 8:17 to play in the game.LOU WHO?With four 3-pointers, Lowry set a new franchise record by hitting at least three from beyond the arc for the ninth consecutive game. The previous record was eight, set by his former teammate Lou Williams from March 27th to April 11th, 2015.STATISTICAL ANOMALY?It is a good example of sometimes how analytics dont tell the entire story. It gives you a hint but doesnt tell the entire story because if you can explain to me how we can shoot the ball and score as well as Golden State that would be a good essay. -- Casey after being told that the Raptors and Warriors share the NBA lead for offensive efficiency with a rating of 114.2 points per 100 possessions.UP NEXTBucks: Host Chicago on Thursday night in the first game of a home-and-home series.Raptors: At Philadelphia on Wednesday night, looking for a 14th straight win over the 76ers. ' ' '