ARLINGTON, Texas -- The effort level on this homestand seems to have risen sharply for the Texas Rangers.
Now if they can just eliminate some of those pesky mistakes that make the difference in one-run games.
The 2014 American League champion Kansas City Royals leveled the series at a game apiece with a 7-6, 10-inning victory over Texas Tuesday night at Globe Life Park.
"To beat a team that was in the World Series last year and is playing well now, you need to make all the plays you need to make," said Rangers manager Jeff Banister.
The Rangers made a few mistakes that are magnified in a tight game. For example:
Left fielder Carlos Peguero is unable to track down Alex Gordon's soft fly to left that fell for a double in the eighth inning. Banister said Peguero lost the ball in the lights.
Shin-Soo Choo's base-running blunder in the seventh when he was thrown out by wide margin trying to go from first to third on a single to left field.
Adrian Beltre, after tying the game with two out in the bottom of the ninth with a single, is picked off first.
An 0-2 pitch by reliever Alex Claudio that is hit for a home run by Mike Moustakas.
"I feel bad for them," said Banister. "We had 25 guys battling all night long. It's tough for all of us in the dugout.
"Claudio was trying to run a ball off the plate and he left it over the plate instead. A good hitter hit it out of the park. Claudio has been pitching well for us."
Even if the Rangers outfielders came up empty on some attempts at diving catches, the effort was not lost on starting pitcher Nick Martinez.
"It was a heck of a job by those guys behind me," Martinez said. "It was a well-played game by both teams. I don't think this should deflate anybody's attitude."
Martinez pointed to some mistakes of his own, like a 3-1 fastball that Eric Hosmer turned into a 422-foot home run in the second inning.
"My stuff felt good, but I pitched in the wrong sequence," he said. "If I throw the same pitch in a different count ... it wasn't a good idea at the time."
Two doubles and a single to the first three Royals in the sixth opened the door for a three-run frame and a 4-3 Kansas City lead.
"They capitalized on some of my mistakes," said Martinez.
Banister was encouraged by the fact that the top five in the Rangers' order had 11 hits and reached base 12 times. Add that to No. 9 batter Delino DeShields reaching base three times.
"We set the table to put some runs on the board," Banister said.
Game 3 of the series is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CT Wednesday at Globe Life Park. Thursday's finale is set for 1:05 p.m. CT.
