Bottom of Royals batting order comes through, but it’s not enough in loss to Rangers

The No. 9 spot in the Royals batting order delivered, no matter who hit there. The problem in a 6-2 loss to the Texas Rangers on Friday was lack of production elsewhere at Globe Life Field.

And a leaky bullpen.

A five-run sixth inning off two Royals relievers was the difference. Marcus Semien got the game’s biggest hit, a bases-clearing double off Sam Long. The first three runs in the inning belonged to John Schreiber.

Kyle Isbel got the Royals’ first hit off Nathan Eovaldi, shooting a line drive into the right-field seats for his fifth home run this season, matching his career best of each of the previous two years.

“I was only in there for one at-bat, but I got a pitch I could handle and put a good swing on it,” Isbel said.

With runners at the corners and one out in the fifth, Isbel was in prime position to do more damage in his second plate appearance.

But he didn’t get the chance. Garrett Hampson got the pinch-hitting duty when Isbel left the game with low back tightness.

“I was feeling it the last couple of days, it just kind of cramped up on me,” Isbel said. “It should be good (Saturday).”

Royals manager Matt Quatraro said the move was precautionary.

“It’s probably something he could have played with, but we just didn’t want to chance it,” Quatraro said. “We’re in a long stretch of games. We just wanted to calm it down a little bit.”

And in the fifth, Hampson came through.

Hampson’s single through the left side scored MJ Melendez, who had opened the inning with a hustle double and moved to third on Nick Loftin’s fly to right.

The promising inning died when Maikel Garcia popped to short right and Bobby Witt Jr. grounded out with the Royals ahead 2-1.

Starter Brady Singer surrendered one run and struck out four in five innings, his best outing of the month. He limited damage in the fourth when the Rangers loaded the bases with one out.

The inning changed when Singer struck out Travis Jankowski on a 3-2 slider.

“He’s a really tough guy to strike out, a patient hitter there,” Singer said.

Singer then got Leody Taveras to ground out, ending the inning, but the Royals starter had run up his pitch count and his night was over after five innings. The bullpen couldn’t keep the lead.

“Schreiber’s been so good for us, just didn’t execute tonight,” Quatraro said.

The Royals, who dropped to 42-35, lost for the fifth time in seven games on the current road trip. They’re 8-16 since reaching a season-best 15 games over .500 on May 25.

Tough night for All-Star candidates

The Royals mustered six hits against Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi and three relievers — and Salvador Perez and Bobby Witt Jr. accounted for none of them in eight combined plate appearances.

Both were running second at their positions in the first batch of All-Star voting. Witt left four runners, and Perez struck out four times.

Up next for the Royals

Game 2 is expected to match Royals right-hander Michael Wacha (4-5, 4.24 ERA) against right-hander Jon Gray (2-3, 3:31 ERA). Game time is 3:05 p.m.

Wacha is coming off the 15-day injured list and would be making his first start since fracturing his foot on May 31 against the San Diego Padres.