Veteran Mike Trout set an Angels franchise record for most career games played at any one position with his 1,367th appearance in center field, but Los Angeles fell to the Kansas City Royals 6-3 on Friday night in the opening game of their series in Kansas City.
The Royals scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning against Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi (0-3), who allowed five runs on five hits with five strikeouts and two walks in five innings of work.
A force out at second base after a throw home from Angels right fielder Jo Adell to catcher Logan O’Hoppe plated the Royals’ first run, then Isaac Collins singled in a run followed by a two-run double for Elias Diaz.
Diaz’s hit was ruled a fair ball, but only because it hit the chalk of the left field foul line. The Angels challenged the ruling but it was upheld, after Collins barely beat the throw home to score.
Michael Massey followed with the third double of the inning for the Royals’ final run, all they would need on the night.
The Angels rallied for three runs in the seventh against left-hander Noah Cameron, who had a shutout going for six innings. With one out and bases loaded, Zach Neto blooped a single to shallow center field for the Angels’ first run.
Nick Mears came on in relief for Kansas City and walked Trout, allowing O’Hoppe to score. Adell beat out a fielder’s choice for another run.
Another reliever, Daniel Lynch IV, struck out pinch hitter Yoan Moncada on a high fastball out of the strike zone with the bases loaded for the third out.
Cameron (2-1) got the win with three runs allowed on eight hits and three walks. He struck out six in 6 1/3 innings.
Collins singled in pinch runner Kyle Isbel with an insurance run in the eighth inning for Kansas City. Closer Lucas Erceg pitched the ninth inning for his sixth save.
