KANSAS CITY -- After allowing his second run of the game in the third inning, Jon Gray made manager Bruce Bochy a promise:

¡°That¡¯s it. They¡¯re not scoring anymore.¡±

It was the second straight start Gray entered the dugout unhappy after the early innings, and it was the second straight start Gray was true to his word.

The 32-year-old righty tossed seven innings of two-run ball to keep the Rangers in the game for an eventual 3-2 extra-innings victory against the Royals on Sunday at Kauffman Stadium. The win sealed the Rangers¡¯ third straight series win, and although the offense came alive with runs in the eighth, ninth and 10th innings to steal one on the road, three runs were enough because of Gray.

¡°He¡¯s got that look of determination out there,¡± Bochy said. ¡°He was frustrated out there earlier in the game ¡­ but that¡¯s what I love about him. He¡¯s handling things that didn¡¯t go well, bows his neck and goes out there and pitches well.

¡°He¡¯s got that bulldog thing in him. He¡¯s determined to help win a ballgame.¡±

And how he helps Texas wins games changes by the outing. In his previous start against the Nationals, where he tossed eight innings of one-run ball, Gray threw more sliders (46) than fastballs (38) to keep hitters off balance. On Sunday against the Royals, Gray threw more fastballs (50) than sliders (34), changeups (11) and curveballs (four) combined.

¡°He used his fastball well, in and out, and it helped set up his slider,¡± Bochy said. ¡°Each start is going to be a little bit different. Sometimes he¡¯ll use his fastball more, and sometimes he¡¯ll use his slider more, and that¡¯s about adjusting what you have and feel good throwing. And that¡¯s what he¡¯s going to do.¡±

Gray looked, and felt good, throwing everything Sunday. Outside of Bobby Witt Jr., who had a triple and double, eventually coming around to score both of the Royals¡¯ runs on Sunday, Gray was simply dominant, racking up seven strikeouts.

¡°If we just take Bobby Witt Jr. out of that game I think we throw a no-hitter,¡± catcher Jonah Heim said. ¡°I thought he was commanding the ball really well. We got into big situations, but he made pitches to get out of it. He really had his slider working ¡­ his stuff matches up with anybody in the league. When he¡¯s throwing strikes with all his pitches he¡¯s pretty hard to hit.¡±

Gray has now gone six or more innings and allowed two runs or less in three of his past four starts. The right-hander battled steady rain, a muddy mound and a strong wind for the first few innings, but he turned a gloomy start to his day into a shiny outing, setting up the back end of the bullpen. Kirby Yates (two innings) and David Robertson (one inning and the save) each had scoreless outings to put away the Royals.

¡°I know I¡¯m lucky to have both of those guys,¡± Bochy said. ¡°Yates hadn¡¯t pitched in a while, but [Yates] said, ¡®I feel great,¡¯ so that¡¯s why he went back out there. And of course Robertson, to hold that one-run lead with the man on second, it was nice to have those two.¡±

The Rangers spoiled Gray¡¯s gem against the Nationals, and the rollercoaster offense was held scoreless through seven Sunday, but Texas displayed how quickly it can put up runs in the later innings. Leody Taveras (leadoff double) and Adolis Garcia (sac fly) cut the deficit to 2-1 in the eighth, and then Jonah Heim destroyed a first-pitch slider 351 feet into the right-field corner, where it clanked off the foul pole, to level the score in the top of the ninth.

Heim¡¯s game-tying blast was followed by Nathaniel Lowe¡¯s game-winning single in the 10th. The Rangers set season highs in runs (15) and hits (17) a night ago, and although they took their time Sunday, the offense was determined to get a similar result -- albeit in a different fashion.

¡°It¡¯s only been a few times when I¡¯ve seen us get completely shut out, so it¡¯s only a matter of time before we bust out,¡± Gray said. ¡°... And to not stop either, it wasn¡¯t just a hit or two, we kept it going and turned it into something, which was a win for us. It was great.¡±

Heim added: ¡°If we get shut out through seven, you better watch out in the eighth because we are going to come out hot and give you some good at-bats. There is never any panic.¡±

And that is a promise.