DeShields, Rangers top Royals to cap spring

ARLINGTON -- Outfielder Delino DeShields finished off a terrific spring by sparking the Rangers to a 5-3 victory over the Royals on Saturday at Globe Life Park in Arlington.
DeShields recorded a single, a run scored, a stolen base and a sacrifice fly in his two plate appearances. He led the Majors with 14 steals this spring without getting thrown out. He also finished with a .323 average and a .442 on-base percentage in his bid to be the Rangers' starting left fielder and leadoff hitter.
Royals backup catcher Drew Butera broke the Rangers' 22-inning scoreless streak against Kansas City with a solo homer in the fifth, just after he replaced starter Salvador Perez. But the Royals managed precious little offense beyond Butera's homer until Brayan Peña's one-out, two-run double in the ninth.

Kansas City starter Jason Hammel allowed all five Rangers runs (four earned). He gave up three doubles in the second inning, along with a walk and a hit batsman.
• Healthy Royals finish spring ready for opener
"Not terrible pitches, but for the most part, things were up in the zone," Hammel said. "They were hittable in counts in which they shouldn't have been. Getting behind hitters and leaving the ball up in the zone, that's what happens."

Though Hammel was ineffective, lefty Jason Vargas tossed three solid innings, striking out four without allowing a run. Peter Moylan, Al Alburquerque and Tim Hill also threw a scoreless frame each.
"Vargas was sharp as a tack, Moylan was good, Alburquerque, Hill, they were all good," Royals manager Ned Yost said.
Rangers starter Allen Webster went four scoreless innings. He will join Triple-A Round Rock and pitch in its rotation.
• Beltre to start season on DL
Royals Up Next: Kansas City opens its season Monday on the road in Minneapolis, where Danny Duffy will face the Twins' Ervin Santana at 3:10 p.m. CT at Target Field. Duffy will make his first career Opening Day start against the former Royal Santana. They recently pitched against each other in the World Baseball Classic, with Duffy as a member of Team USA and Santana representing the Dominican Republic.
Rangers Up Next: Texas opens its 46th season in Arlington when it hosts the reigning American League champion Indians at 6:05 p.m. CT on Monday at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Yu Darvish will be on the mound for the Rangers as he makes his first Opening Day start.
Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV.