Jahurul Islam stopped the rot with a 37-run fifth-wicket stand before the latter gave short midwicket a simple catch after making 22. He left when Chittagong needed 31 off the last four overs. Jahurul fell

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. Boyd Gordon Oilers Jersey ., and Rudi Swiegers of Kipling, Sask., took sixth spot on Saturday in pairs at the NHK Trophy ISU Grand Prix figure skating competition. Bill Ranford Jersey . -- Aldon Smith believes he is on the path to being sober for good. http://www.hockeyoilersshop.com/wayne-gretzky-jersey/ . Defenceman Yannick Weber scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and the Canucks breathed a sigh of relief with a 2-1 win on Saturday night. Jujhar Khaira Oilers Jersey . -- For the first time in two months, an opponent was standing up to Alabama. Mark Fayne Jersey . Klitschkos management company says the bout will be the Ukrainian fighters 25th world championship fight. The 1.83-meter (6-foot) Leapai defeated the previously unbeaten Denis Boytsov in November to become the WBOs mandatory challenger. Chittagong Vikings 135 for 5 (Tamim 66*, Jahurul 22) beat Khulna Titans 131 for 8 (Mahmudullah 42, Khan 2-16) by five wicketsScorecard and ball-by-ball detailsTamim Iqbal withstood Khulna Titans efficient bowling attack to guide Chittagong Vikings to their fifth win in a row. The Chittagong captain was unbeaten on 66 off 59 balls which included eight fours and one six.The five-wicket win, with eight balls to spare, put them on 12 points, level with Dhaka Dynamites and Khulna Titans.Chittagong had suffered a top-order collapse after Chris Gayle fell in the fifth over. Anamul Haque and Shoaib Malik were run out before Zakir Hasan was stumped in the 11th over, thus reducing Chittagong to 64 for 4, after being comfortably placed at 39 for no loss in the fifth over.Tamim and Jahurul Islam stopped the rot with a 37-run fifth-wicket stand before the latter gave short midwicket a simple catch after making 22. He left when Chittagong needed 31 off the last four overs. Jahurul fell but soon Tamim reached his fourth fiftty in this seasons BPL.ddddddddddddTamim survived on 24 when Shuvagata Hom dropped him at mid-off after a miscommunication with Alok Kapali, who was running in from cover. Shuvagata also dropped a chance, offered by Mohammad Nabi on one, in the 18th over, running in from long off.Nabi finished the chase with two consecutive fours in the penultimate over, ending up on 17 not out off eight balls.But it was chiefly Chittagongs bowlers who, for the third consecutive game, gave them a strong platform. This time it was Imran Khan and Taskin Ahmed who were among the wickets, with support from Nabi, Subashis Roy and Saqlain Sajib.Imran removed the in-form Riki Wessels at the start and the dangerous Kevon Cooper in the slog overs, apart from his direct hit that dismissed Ariful Haque. Taskin took the big wicket of Mahmudullah - who top scored with 42 - and Nicholas Pooran in the final over. ' ' '