Angels stay hot, defeat Royals 7-1
May 31, 2010
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)—Ervin Santana(notes) pitched seven strong innings and the LosAngeles Angels didn’t need any late-game heroics Monday, roughing up LukeHochevar(notes) early on the way to a 7-1 win over the Kansas City Royals.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim&… AP – May 31, 3:12 pm EDT LAA-KC Gallery function prev_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index > 0) { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index – 1); } else { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index); }}function next_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index 0) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next); }*/}function goto_photo(p) { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { for(i = 0; i < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos.length; i++) { if (i == p) { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, ); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, none); } } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page) { YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page.innerHTML =(p + 1); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = p; } } update_buttons();}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init = function () { YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_prev, click, prev_photo); YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_next, click, next_photo); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = 0; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page = YAHOO.util.Dom.get(carousel_page); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos = YAHOO.util.Dom.getElementsByClassName(item, div, leadphoto); if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { goto_photo(0); }}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init(); Series at a Glance LA Angels 7 Kansas City 1 Mon, May 31 – Final LA Angels at Kansas City Tue, Jun 1 – 8:10 pm ET LA Angels at Kansas City Wed, Jun 2 – 8:10 pm ET
Mike Napoli(notes) hit a two-run homer, Juan Rivera(notes) and Maicer Izturis(notes) each hadsolo shots off Hochevar (5-3), and Howie Kendrick(notes) had two RBIs to help LosAngeles kick off a season-long 14-game road trip with its fifth win in sixgames.
That was more than enough for Santana (5-3).
The right-hander scattered seven hits, allowing a run-scoring double byJason Kendall(notes) in the fifth inning and little else to win his fourth straightstart. He struck out six and has allowed six earned runs the past 29 inningsafter a shaky start to the season.
Los Angeles won its previous two games in dramatic fashion, getting awinning grand slam from Kendry Morales(notes) against Seattle on Saturday, a three-rungame-ender by Kendrick on Sunday.
The Angels were a bit more subdued following Kendrick’s winner, waiting onthe grass to congratulate him after watching Morales, the team’s home run andRBI leader, break his leg during the previous day’s at-the-plate swarming.
Handshakes and high-fives were all the Angels needed against Kansas City, ateam they’ve beaten 10 of the last 11 times.
The Royals didn’t put up much of a fight, either, going 1 for 8 with runnersin scoring position and striking out 11 times to lose for the sixth time in ninegames. Kansas City has scored two runs in three games after a season-high 20-hitoutburst against Boston Friday night.
Hochevar had been on a roll, pitching eight strong innings against Texas toback up a complete-game win over Cleveland.
This time, he just put the Royals in a hole.
Rivera ended an 0-for-21 slump in the second inning off the right-hander,lifting a 2-0, down-the-middle fastball over the Angels bullpen in left for asolo homer, his seventh. Kendrick made it 2-0 with a run-scoring double twobatters later and the Angels kept chipping away at Hochevar.
Izturis added a slicing solo shot in the third inning that dinged off thefoul pole in left, Erick Aybar(notes) had a run-scoring double in the fifth andKendrick added an RBI single in the sixth to make it 5-1.
Hochevar gave up five runs on nine hits in seven innings. He had allowed twohomers in his previous 60 innings.
Napoli sealed it in the eighth inning with his eighth homer, a two-run shotoff Victor Marte(notes) for his third hit.
NOTES: Angels manager Mike Scioscia said Morales’ broken leg is still tooswollen for surgery and he hopes to have a definitive answer in the next week orso. … Royals DH Jose Guillen(notes) broke an 0-for-15 skid with a single off ScotShields(notes) in the ninth inning. He had struck out his previous eight at-bats atKauffman Stadium. … A grounds crew member made a nifty tackle from behindafter a fan ran out onto the field during the seventh-inning stretch.
