HOUSTON -- Matt Dominguez was touted for his defensive skills when he joined the Houston Astros. Lately, hes shown that hes pretty good on offence, too. Dominguez hit a three-run homer and Jason Castro added a solo shot to give the Houston Astros a 6-5 win over the Kansas City Royals on Monday night. The Astros trailed by one in the fourth inning before Dominguez launched his fourth homer of the season in left field to give Houston a 6-4 lead. "Im trying to figure some things out and be more consistent," said Dominguez, who is batting .239. "Ive been able to get some big hits, and hopefully, the average will be there by the end of the year. But most importantly, Ill get the RBIs and get the (wins)." Dominguez has hit all of his homers in the past nine games and his 21 RBIs are second on the team. "This guy is growing up right before our eyes," Houston manager Bo Porter said of the 24-year-old. "Hes getting more and more confidence ... I think hes gotten to the point where he understands himself, he understands what the league is trying to do to him, and now hes picking his spots and you see that he has some power." Castros homer came in Houstons two-run third inning before Kansas City took the lead on a three-run home run by Miguel Tejada in the fourth. It was his first homer since 2011. Houstons Dallas Keuchel (1-1) allowed nine hits and four runs while striking out six in 6 2-3 innings for the win. He was helped by three double plays turned by his defence, which lead the majors with 60. Closer Jose Veras struck out two in a perfect ninth for his seventh save. "Keuchel did a great job of, one, attacking the zone and being very efficient with his pitches and did a good job of pitching to both sides of the plate and using his off-speed stuff to induce ground ball double plays," Porter said. Kansas City starter Jeremy Guthrie (5-2) allowed eight hits and a season-high six runs in five innings -- his shortest start of the season. He had gone 18 games without a loss before allowing 19 hits and 11 runs in the past two games to lose two straight. "I never really got into a groove, and its my own fault," Guthrie said. "Whether it was a walk or falling behind guys, I just wasnt able to put anybody away. For the most part, none of my pitches were super well-executed, and they just made me pay." The Royals cut the lead to 6-5 when Eric Hosmer doubled and Jeff Francoeur sent him home with a double, which dropped just in front of a diving Jimmy Paredes in the eighth inning. Francoeur, who entered the game in a 0 for 11 slump, had a season-high three hits for his first multi-hit game since April 30. The Royals mustered a little more offence on Monday that they had in a weekend sweep by the Athletics when they managed just five runs in three games. But their losing streak stretched to four games after going 3 of 10 with runners in scoring position on Monday. Royals catcher Salvador Perez was shaken up when he crashed hip-first into the railing near Houstons dugout chasing a foul ball in the fifth inning. He finished the inning, but was replaced by George Kottaras for the sixth inning. Manager Ned Yost said he has a bruised right hip and is listed day to day. Kansas Citys three-run fourth inning ended a 36-inning streak where the Royals didnt score more than one run in a frame. Perez singled to start the inning before a one-out single by Francoeur set the table for Tejadas shot, which landed in the back of the Crawford Boxes in left field and gave Kansas City a 4-3 lead. It was the first home run for the 38-year-old Tejada, who didnt play in the majors last season, since July 16, 2011. "Right now, for me, even if I get a hit, its great," Tejada said. "When I get an opportunity, I just want to help my team win a game. Im excited to hit a home run, but Im just trying to do my best to help us win." Carlos Pena walked and Paredes singled in the fourth before the homer by Dominguez put Houston up 6-4. Marwin Gonzalez led off Houstons third with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Gonzalez took third on an error by Elliot Johnson when he missed the catch on a pickoff try. A sacrifice fly by Jose Altuve gave Houston a 2-1 lead. Castros fourth homer of the season pushed Houstons advantage to 3-1. Hosmer and Francoeur hit consecutive one-out singles in the second inning before Johnsons RBI single with two outs put Kansas City up 1-0. Carter walked with one out in the second and Pena followed with a double to the corner of right field. The Astros tied it at 1-all when Carter scored on a groundout by Paredes. Hosmer, the first baseman, made a nifty catch to end the seventh inning. He jumped high into the air and extended his glove to snag a liner by Paredes. He fell backward to the ground and glanced at his glove as if to double check that he actually made the catch. NOTES: The series continues on Tuesday when Houstons Bud Norris, who had his start pushed back two days after leaving his last outing because of lower back spasms, opposes Wade Davis. ... Houston OF Justin Maxwell, on the disabled list with a broken bone in his left hand, got the OK from his doctor to remove his brace on Saturday and took swings at underhand soft tosses on Monday. He said his hand is still sore but hes feeling much better. He isnt sure when hell be ready for a rehabilitation assignment, but when he does go hell wear a batting glove with hard plastic on the side to protect the bone he broke. ... New Astros president Reid Ryan, son of Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan, said Monday that hed like Houstons Double-A affiliate Corpus Christi to play an exhibition game at Minute Maid Park in the future. 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Lizzie Armitstead expressed pride and avoided self-pity after her week of turmoil ended in Olympic disappointment at Copacabana beach.The embattled world champion was given a Rio reprieve over three whereabouts failures when the first was declared void by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.But Britains first medalist of London 2012, with silver on The Mall behind Marianne Vos, could only finish fifth in the 137-kilometre road race as the Netherlands Anna van der Breggen won a dramatic gold.Van der Breggen triumphed only after compatriot Annemiek van Vleuten crashed out on the final ascent and Mara Abbott of the United States was caught 200 metres from the line.Abbott did not even win a medal, finishing fourth, as Emma Johansson of Sweden took silver and Italys Elisa Longo Borghini bronze.Armitstead said: I cant feel sorry for myself. This is sport and thats what its about. You open yourself up for judgement. I never gave up and for that I can be proud of myself.Obviously Ive lost quite a lot of sleep and its been a hard time, but its not an excuse.Once Ive got a number on my back Im a totally different person and Im focused and it didnt enter my mind once in the race. I was totally focused on what I do best.Its a deserving Olympic champion for sure.Van Vleuten led with less than 11km to go, but crashed dramatically on the descent which had ended mens road race leader Vincenzo Nibalis chances 24 hours earlier.Officials reported she was conscious, able to communnicate and being taken to hospital for further checks.ddddddddddddChris Boardman, the 1992 Olympic champion, thought the route was dangerous.He told the BBC: Im really just waiting for news on Van Vleuten. Its very hard to concentrate when you see a crash like that. Im actually quite angry because I looked at the road furniture and thought nobody can crash here and get up. This was way past technical, this was dangerous.The crash allowed Abbott to take the lead and she had an advantage of almost 40 seconds as the descent flattened out, only to be denied in the finishing straight.Armitstead had insisted she was not a favourite in the lead-up and so it turned out.It wasnt entirely unexpected, she added. I knew I was going to need a miracle to come away with the gold medal on this course. Im really happy with the tactic that I had and the effort that I did. I came up short on the climb. Thats what Ive been working hard on, but thats sport.Armitsteads teammates Emma Pooley and Nikki Harris did not finish.Pooley, who rides in Wednesdays time-trial, said: It was foolish of her, and Im sure she agrees, to get to the three strikes point, but she was cleared of one of them.Its not the same as taking drugs, missing three tests, and she missed one because they failed to find her and thats a valid excuse. So I think thats perfectly reasonable. ' ' '