KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Matt Garza pitched eight impressive innings for his first victory in six starts and the Texas Rangers kept close in the playoff race, beating the Kansas City Royals 3-1 on Saturday night. The Rangers won for only the fifth time in 19 September games. They remained a half-game behind Cleveland for the second AL wild-card berth. The Royals, out of the playoffs since winning the 1985 World Series, dropped 3 1/2 games in back of the Indians. Adrian Beltre got two hits and drove in a run for Texas. Garza (10-6) was 0-3 with an 8.22 ERA in his first three September starts. He pitched four-hit ball before giving up Eric Hosmers leadoff home run in the ninth, and was pulled. Garza struck out five and walked one. He is 4-5 in 12 starts since the Rangers acquired him on July 22 in a trade with the Chicago Cubs. After Hosmers 17th homer, Joe Nathan relieved. The Texas closer struck out two for his 40th save in 43 chances. Nathan posted his 41st career save against the Royals. opportunities. Jeremy Guthrie (14-12) allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings. He has permitted six runs and 20 hits in 14 innings in losing his past two starts. Beltres .374 career batting average at Kauffman Stadium is the highest for an opposing batter with at least 150 plate appearances. Guthrie gave up a triple to Ian Kinsler to lead off the game. Kinsler scored on Elvis Andrus groundout. In the third, Guthries control betrayed him when he walked Andrus and Alex Rios on eight pitches, and both scored. Beltre bounced an RBI single up the middle and A.J. Pierzynski had a sacrifice fly. The Royals had only one batter past second base before Hosmers homer. Jarrod Dyson tripled with two out in the fifth, but was stranded when Alcides Escobar looked at a called third strike. NOTES: Craig Gentry had three hits and stole a base for the Rangers. He became the fourth different starting left fielder in as many games for Texas. The others were David Murphy, Joey Butler and Jim Adduci. ... Royals RHP James Shields, who starts Sunday, is 10-3 since June 28 after starting the season 2-6. .J. -- Seven games into a disappointing season, New York Giants defensive catalyst Jason Pierre-Paul is getting the feeling hes back. [url=http://www.manchestercitysoccerpro.com/Authentic-Joe-Hart-Manchester-City-J... Hart Jersey . Francis told several hundred members of the European Olympic Committees that when sport "is considered only in economic terms and consequently for victory at every cost . Custom Manchester City Jersey . The return match will take place next Wednesday. Udinese leads Fiorentina 2-1 in the other semifinal. Napoli staged a second-half comeback from two goals down after Gervinhos opener and a stunning strike from Kevin Strootman. . The Vancouver coach and an announced sellout crowd of 18,910 watched in dismay as the Canucks lost 7-4 to the New York Islanders on Monday night by squandering a 3-0 lead in the third period. HOUSTON -- Houston Texans running back Arian Foster will undergo back surgery next week and miss the rest of the season. Foster didnt practice all week after injuring his back on Houstons first series against Indianapolis last Sunday. He also missed most of Houstons previous game with a hamstring problem. Interim coach Wade Phillips said Friday that Foster had visited specialists about the problem. The Pro Bowl player gained 542 yards on 121 carries with one touchdown and had 22 receptions and another score. Ben Tate, still recovering from four broken ribs, is expected to start Sunday at Arizona. Dennis Johnson and Deji Karim, who were both signed last week, will play behind Tate. Its been a difficult season for the Texans, who previously lost star linebacker Briaan Cushing to a knee injury for the second straight year.dddddddddddd Coach Gary Kubiak suffered a mini-stroke during last weeks loss at Indianapolis, and his coaching future is uncertain. The team has said Kubiak is expected to make a full recovery. The Texans entered Sundays game against the Cardinals at 2-6 after winning the AFC South the last two seasons and posting a playoff victory each year. Foster was a key to the franchises first two post-season appearances. He has rushed for at least 1,200 yards in each of the last three seasons, including leading the NFL with 1,616 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2010. He also had 15 TDs rushing, tops in the NFL, in 2012. Foster was an undrafted free agent out of Tennessee who won the starting job in his second pro season. [url=http://www.cheapnflauthenticjerseys.cc/]Cheap China Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China China NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China ' ' '