Angels rally past Royals
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Pinch hitter Kendrys Morales had two-run homer during an eighth-inning rally Friday night that sent the Los Angeles Angels over the Kansas City Royals 9-7.
Several hours before the game, a man shot and wounded a female parking lot employee between the stadiums that are home to the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals before killing himself, police said.
The pair were both in their 40s and knew each other, but police did not elaborate on their relationship. The woman was taken to a hospital in critical condition.
There was no mention of the shooting over the public address system at Kauffman Stadium.
Morales homered on the first pitch from Tim Collins (5-3) with Mark Trumbo aboard to make it 7-all. Collins threw 11 pitches, faced four batters and retired none, allowing two singles and hitting Albert Pujols on an 0-2 count.
Jeremy Jeffress replaced Collins and walked Torii Hunter on five pitches with the bases loaded to force home Mike Trout with the go-ahead run. Hunter is hitting .431 with 15 RBIs in his past 16 games.
Jordan Walden (3-2), the fourth of six Angels pitchers, picked up the victory, although he threw only two pitches. Ernesto Frieri got his 19th save in 21 opportunities.
Billy Butler, Mike Moustakas and Jeff Francoeur homered for Kansas City.
The Royals took advantage of second baseman Howie Kendrick’s error to score three unearned runs in the sixth. Francoeur, who was hitting just .159 in his previous 20 games, hit a two-run homer with two out. Moustakas’ sacrifice fly scored the first run of the inning.
Butler and Moustakas homered in the second to give the Royals a 2-0 led. Butler’s home run, which caromed off a billboard at the top of the Royals’ bullpen, was the 100th of his career. He had been stuck on 99 since Aug. 11, going 93 at-bats without a homer. Two batters later Moustakas hit his 20th home run.
Angels starter C.J. Wilson left with a 4-3 lead in the sixth and got a no-decision. Royals starter Bruce Chen exited with a 6-4 lead in the seventh, but the bullpen failed to maintain it.
It was the second consecutive game the Kansas City bullpen could not hold a lead, giving up three runs the final three innings in a 4-3 loss Thursday at Minnesota.
The Angels scored four times in the fourth, two on Kendrick’s double and two on Alberto Callaspo’s two-out single.
The Angels scored an unearned run in the ninth after center fielder Jason Bourgeois’ error.
NOTES: Angels star Albert Pujols returned to first base for the first time since injuring his right leg on Aug. 22 at Boston. He missed four games after the injury and started the next 16 games as the DH before playing first against the Royals. “I think he feels comfortable with it and our medical staff feels comfortable with it,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “I think he’s much more comfortable when he can play the field and contribute to the team.” ... Hunter batted cleanup for just the 16th time this season. He had been primarily hitting second. ... RHP Zack Greinke, who won the 2009 Cy Young Award while with the Royals, will start Saturday for the Angels. RHP Jeremy Guthrie, who is 4-0 with a 1.70 ERA in his past seven starts, will start for the Royals.