It wasn’t the stars, but the supporting cast that stole the show as the Royals knocked off the Angels 6-3 on Friday night. The 5-9 hitters in the lineup went a combined 7-for-18 and drove in all six runs, as the Royals scored six runs for the third consecutive game.
Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi mowed down nine of the first ten Royals hitters he faced, but the boys in blue piled it on in the fourth. Bobby Witt Jr. led off with a double, moving to third on a Salvador Perez flyout. After Lane Thomas
walked, Starling Marte lifted a ball into shallow right. Angels right fielder Jo Adell ran in on it and slid, but was unable to corral the ball. Witt scored, but Lane Thomas was caught heading back to first, thinking it had been caught, and the Angels threw to second for the force out.
But the rest of the lineup picked him up. Carter Jensen singled to move Marte to third, setting up an RBI single by Isaac Collins. Elias Diaz doubled to drive home two, and Michael Massey followed with another double to plate a run. When the dust settled, the Royals had a five-run inning.
Meanwhile Noah Cameron cruised through the first six innings. He also retired nine of the first ten hitters, and tossed goose eggs through the sixth. But in the seventh, he gave up a one-out double to Vaughn Grissom, then walked Logan O’Hoppe. Bryce Teodosio hit a hot shot to third that Nick Loftin was unable to handle for an infield single to load the bases. Zach Neto singled to put the Angels on the board and end Noah Cameron’s night.
The Royals’ bullpen has been the worst in baseball so far, and they continued to have their struggles tonight. Nick Mears walked Mike Trout to force in another run. Jo Adell hit a slow chopper that Loftin fielded and elected to try to turn a double play, but was only able to get one out, allowing another run to score to cut the lead to 5-3 Royals. After Mears walked Jorge Soler, Daniel Lynch IV was brought in and wriggled out of the jam by striking out Yoán Moncada.
The Royals added an insurance run in the eighth off Angels reliever Drew Pomeranz. Starling Marte singled with one out, and pinch-runner Kyle Isbel stole second, his fifth of the year already. Isaac Collins singled to drive him home, his second hit of the night, making it 6-3, Royals. Lucas Erceg came on to pick up his sixth save of the year, and the Royals improved to 9-17. Noah Cameron picked up his second win of the year, giving up three runs in 6.1 innings.
The Royals have a chance to take just their second series win tomorrow evening when they face the Angels again. Cole Ragans takes on 22-year-old right-hander Walbert Ureña. at 6:10 CT.
