Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout hit back-to-back homers to lead the Los Angeles Angels over the host Kansas City Royals 5-2 on Sunday afternoon.
Trailing 2-1 in the fifth, Taylor Ward opened the frame with a double and scored on Ohtani’s 422-foot shot to right, his major-league-leading 24th. On the next pitch, Trout delivered his 15th homer to left-center.
Ohtani and Trout connected for consecutive homers for the third time this season and second against the Royals. Ohtani extended his season-high hitting streak to 15 games, batting .446 (25-for-56) with nine homers.
Tyler Anderson (4-1) allowed two runs on six hits in five innings, striking out six for his first victory against Kansas City.
Jaime Barria threw three scoreless frames and Carlos Estevez closed out the Royals for his 19th save in as many chances, matching Lee Smith for the most consecutive successful save opportunities to start an Angels’ season.
Zack Greinke (1-7) surrendered four runs on eight hits over five innings, fanning four.
Kansas City jumped ahead in the second on Freddy Fermin’s one-out single, scoring Maikel Garcia, who doubled to start the frame. Garcia had three hits for the Royals, scoring both runs.
Los Angeles answered in the fourth with three straight hits as Trout doubled to start the inning, then scored on Brandon Drury’s single up the middle. Hunter Renfroe singled Drury to second but the Royals escaped further damage when Andrew Velazquez’s two-out, bases-loaded grounder hit baserunner Luis Renfigo’s foot, ending the threat.
Kansas City regained a 2-1 lead on Samad Taylor’s RBI single in the bottom half of the inning.
Jared Walsh connected for his first homer leading off the ninth, capping the scoring.
Royals reliever Austin Cox worked a hitless seventh, striking out Ohtani and Trout, setting a franchise record for most batters faced (28) without allowing a hit to begin a career, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
The Angels won their fourth straight series, finishing the road trip 5-2. They begin a two-game home set Tuesday against the Dodgers before returning to the road.
The Royals have dropped five straight series, losing 14 of 16. They begin a road trip Monday at Detroit.
–Field Level Media
