If the first real test for a new closer is how he handles failure, then right-hander Frank Francisco remains an untested commodity.

The Rangers will be happy if he remains so untested for a while.

For the first time since taking over for Eddie Guardado, who was traded to Minnesota on Monday, Francisco got a chance to close a game. It took him just nine pitches to finish off Kansas City and clinch the Rangers' sweep with a 3-2 win. It was the first save of his career.

Francisco threw a ball on the first pitch to Ross Gload, then fired three straight strikes by him for a strikeout. He got Mark Teahen to bounce to second on the first pitch, then used four more pitches to strike out Esteban German.

"Since they told me, I've been thinking about it and I just wanted to go out there, take a breath, trust my stuff and go after the hitters," Francisco said. "I didn't want to waste any pitches. The next time I want to go about it the same way. I don't want to give them any chance to use strategy. I don't want to joke around with the hitters."

Francisco is the Rangers' third closer of the year. Before Guardado, left-hander C.J. Wilson had converted 24 of 28 saves, but he lost the job as his ERA approached 6.00. Wilson ended up on the disabled list and out for the season due to elbow surgery.

RANGERS 3, ROYALS 2: The Rangers picked up their first three-game sweep of the season and their first ever at Kansas City on Wednesday, scoring the winning run on an infield popup. C Jarrod Saltalamacchia, running hard from second with two outs, scored when Kansas City RHP Brian Bannister dropped 2B Joaquin Arias' pop fly. Bannister hesitated for a moment, and Saltalamacchia, running hard the whole way, scored easily. The Rangers had tied the game at 2 earlier in the inning when Saltalamacchia doubled to score 3B Chris Davis. While Texas had a two-game sweep in Kansas City in 1997, the Rangers had never won a three-game series at Kauffman Stadium.

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