Kansas City snaps their seven-game losing streak by taking advantage of runners and lead-off batters getting on base.
One of the biggest frustrations of the season has been a lack of production when runners were in scoring positions and not able to get lead-off batters on. Today the Royals were 7/14 with runners in scoring position and were able to get the leadoff batter on four times. All four times they were able to score.
The game started with a pitching dual between Zack Greinke and Tyler Anderson. The game started with both pitchers having perfect games. Then the runs started to be produced.
Kansas City took the first lead of the game in the third inning but Mike Trout and the Angels responded in the bottom of the third to tie the game at one.
Kansas City added two on the board with Matt Duffy getting his first hit of the day and he scored on an MJ Melendez triple. That gave the Royals a 3-1 lead.
In the fourth inning, Renfroe hit his first home run. A 342-foot home run closed the gap. Then the Angels took the lead in the fifth with a two-run shot but Trout to dead center. That gave LA their first lead of the night.
The sixth inning showed off some crazy baseball. In the sixth inning, Kansas City returned to its roots by keeping the line moving. Kansas City had five singles in a row, including two infield singles. A defensive debacle by the Angels allowed the Royals to score two more runs giving Kansas City a two-run lead.
Carlos Herandez was sent in to pitch in the sixth inning. Renfroe hit his second home run of the night into the power ally of left field. Renfro muscled a knuckle curve located on the lower inside corner of the zone 375 feet, moving the Angels closer to once again tying the game. And that was exactly what they did, but not without some controversy. With a man on second and two outs, Hernandez was able to get the final out of the inning stranding the runner in scoring position. Until a bock was called giving Zach Neto another chance. On the next pitch, Neto singled to right driving in the runner and tying the game at six.
One final long ball by Matt Thaiss in the bottom of the eighth innings gave LA a two-run lead. With three outs to go the Angels sent in their closer who did not have his best stuff of the night.
It started with Nicky Lopez getting on base by taking one for the team. He was hit by a pitch
Kyle Isbel hit a near-home run to center field. The ball bounced off the top of the wall and when it was thrown back to the infield it was botched. This allowed Isbel to gain an extra 90 feet and stop at third base.
Edward Olivares hit a bloop single to shallow center to drive in the tying run.
Salvador Perez worked the count to walk allowing a red-hot Duffy takes also take a four-pitch walk loading the bases. Melndez looked to be the hero. After going down 0-2 he fouled off two tough pitches. On the fifth pitch of the at-bat, a four-seam fastball got away from Quijada and hit Melndez scoring the game-winning run and keeping the bases loaded.
Dozier added two more insurance runs with a line drive to the right field. He would get tagged out in between first and second base but Kansas City took an 11-8 lead to the bottom of the ninth inning
Scott Barlow came in against the top three of the Angels to put them down 1-2-3. He struck out two of the three batters including Trout.
Royals play the rubber match on Sunday with a 3:07 first pitch.
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