KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Nicholas Castellanos and Mikie Mahtook went deep, Jordan Zimmermann smothered the Royals with strikes and the Detroit Tigers proceeded to trounce Kansas City 10-2 to open a four-game series Monday night.

Ian Kinsler added three extra-base hits for the Tigers, who knocked American League wins leader Jason Vargas (12-4) from the game after 2 2/3 innings in his first start since the All-Star break.

Zimmermann (6-7) allowed one run and seven hits without a walk in 6 2/3 innings, throwing 79 of 97 pitches for strikes. His dominance was partly a result of first-pitch strikes to 24 of the 28 batters he faced, which helped the right-hander win for the first time since June 3.

Seemingly the only pitch Zimmermann threw that wasn’t a strike hit Royalsshortstop Alcides Escobar on the left wrist in the seventh inning. Escobar was forced to leave the game.

The Mid Plains League has reported on their website that the Junction City Brigade defeated the Midwest Athletics 9-4 Monday evening in the final game of their Cowdin Cup semifinal round playoff series in Belton, Missouri.

The Brigade reported on their Facebook page that Andrew Marrow knocked in five runs for Junction City.

Junction City took two out of three games in the series. After losing the opener to the Athletics 11-4 on Saturday, they defeated Midwest 6-5 Sunday evening at Rathert Field and then finished the series with the win Monday evening in Belton.

The Brigade will advance to the Cowdin Cup championship series where they will play the Topeka Golden Giants in a best two-out-of-three series. The opening game will be in Topeka on Thursday, game two in Junction City Friday, and if a game three is necessary it will be played in Topeka on Saturday.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals have reinstated reliever Neftali Feliz from the paternity list and optioned right-hander Miguel Almonte to Triple-A Omaha during a series of roster moves before Monday night’s game against the Tigers.

Feliz has a 2.57 ERA in seven appearances. Almonte did not pitch during his most recent stint.

Kansas City also recalled outfielder Billy Burns from the Storm Chasers and optioned Jorge Soler to the same club. The move gives the Royals a speedy pinch runner while providing Soler, who was acquired in an offseason trade for All-Star closer Wade Davis, with regular at-bats in the minors.

Meanwhile, Cheslor Cuthbert was sent to Omaha to begin a rehab assignment. The versatile infielder has been on the disabled list since June 26 with a sprained left wrist.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Texas right fielder Shin-Soo Choo lost Lorenzo Cain’s routine fly in the sun, and the ball glanced off his glove for an RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning that lifted the Kansas City Royals over the Texas Rangers 4-3 Sunday.

Choo tried to shield his eyes, but even sunglasses didn’t help on Cain’s sliced flyball. The Royals snapped a five-game losing streak, and also ended a 12-game skid against the Rangers.

Kelvin Herrera (2-2) pitched a spotless ninth. Jason Grilli (2-5), acquired by Rangers from Toronto on July 2, took the loss.

Alcides Escobar led off the ninth with a single and Alex Gordon walked on four pitches. With one out, Grilli hit Whit Merrifield with a pitch to load the bases. After Jorge Bonifacio struck out, Cain delivered the game-winning hit, with some luck.

According to the Mid Plains League the Midwest Athletics defeated the Junction City Brigade 11-4 in the opening game of their best two-out-of-three Cowdin Cup playoff series Saturday evening in Belton, Missouri.

Game two is scheduled at 7 p.m. Sunday at Rathert Field in Junction City. Junction City must win Sunday to keep their season alive.

The Brigade are 18-13 on the season.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Shin-Soo Choo flared a lazy fly ball down the left-field line with one out in the ninth inning, driving in the only run off Danny Duffy and giving the Texas Rangers a 1-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.

Duffy and Rangers counterpart Cole Hamels matched each other through seven innings, neither bending before Hamels finally departed for reliever Jose Leclerc (2-2) with two out in the eighth.

Duffy (5-6) began the ninth and gave up a weak single to Jonathan Lucroy. After pinch-runner Joey Gallo took second on a sacrifice bunt by Delino DeShields, Choo got just enough wood on Duffy’s 91st pitch to drop a fly ball in front of left fielder Alex Gordon and score the game’s only run.

Leclerc walked the leadoff man in the ninth, but Alex Claudio struck out Eric Hosmer and got Salvador Perez to ground into a double play to earn his third save and second in as many nights.

Texas won its 12th straight win over Kansas City dating to last July.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Adrian Beltre hit a three-run homer, pinch-hitter Mike Napoli had a go-ahead two-run shot and the Texas Rangers rallied to beat the Kansas City Royals 5-3 on Friday night.

Martin Perez (5-6) allowed eight hits and a walk over seven innings, but kept all that traffic to just three runs. Two of those came in the second, when Alcides Escobar homered to left.

Beltre connected in the sixth off Royals starter Jason Hammel, who had just surrendered back-to-back singles — the first hits off him all night. Napoli followed with nobody out in the seventh, sending a poor pitch from reliever Mike Minor (5-2) soaring over the left-field wall.

Matt Bush breezed through a perfect eighth and Alex Claudio handled the ninth for his second save, giving the Rangers their 10th straight win over Kansas Citydating to last July.

The Junction City Brigade will play the Midwest Athletics in the semifinal round of the Mid Plains League, Cowdin Cup playoffs.

Junction City will play Midwest at Belton High School in Belton, Missouri at 5 p.m. Saturday in the opener of the best two-out-of-three series. Game two will be at 7 p.m. Sunday at Rathert Field in Junction City. If a game three is necessary it will be Monday in Belton.

The other semifinal round playoff series between the Topeka Golden Giants and Liberty Monarchs is scheduled for Sunday, Monday and if necessary Tuesday.

The winners will advance to the Cowdin Cup championship series.