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AP Photo / Reed Hoffmann Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani celebrates after hitting a home run during the fifth inning of a game against the Kansas City Royals on Sunday in Kansas City, Mo.
The Associated Press
10:07 JST, June 19, 2023
KANSAS CITY, Mo (AP) — Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout hit back-to-back home runs to help the Los Angeles Angels defeat the Kansas City Royals 5-2 on Sunday in the finale of a three-game series.
It’s the sixth time this season, and 28th overall, that Ohtani and Trout have homered in the same game. The Angels are 6-0 this season and 20-8 overall when both players go deep.
“When I write Mike Trout in the lineup I feel pretty good about it, as any other manager in the league would,” Los Angeles manager Phil Nevin said. “You can’t win games with just two guys, but if there are any guys back-to-back you can do it, it’s those two. They can carry a team for quite a while.”
Royals manager Matt Quatraro agreed.
“They’ve certainly done that to a lot of pitchers over the years,” he said of LA’s dynamic duo.
Ohtani saw the end of a six-game streak in which he recorded an extra-base hit, a walk and a run. The only other players in MLB history to accomplish that were Babe Ruth (seven times) and Barry Bonds (six).
The Royals fell to 3-19-1 in series in 2023. They have not won a series since May 15-17 in San Diego.
Tyler Anderson (4-1) surrendered two runs on six hits in five innings to earn the win. Carlos Estevez notched his 19th save in 19 tries.
“I felt like I threw mostly good pitches,” Anderson said. “Overall, I felt like I gave us a chance.”
Zack Greinke (1-7) allowed four runs on eight hits in five innings.
A day after blowing an 8-2 lead in the seventh inning, the Angels were thankful to walk out with a series victory.
“To come in here off that big series in Texas and losing a tough one last night, then come in here and turn the page was big,” Trout said.
The Royals got on the board in the second. Maikel Garcia legged out a double leading off. Samad Taylor sacrificed him to third and he scored on a single by Freddy Fermin.
The Angels tied it in the fourth but could have had more than one run. Trout led off with a double and scored on a single by Brandon Drury. Hunter Renfroe followed with a single and Los Angeles had runners on first and second with no outs. Greinke struck out Chad Wallach, then got Michael Stefanic to fly to deep right, advancing both runners. Luis Rengifo was hit by a pitch. Andrew Velazquez hit a sharp ground ball that struck Rengifo to end the inning.
The Royals regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Garcia led off with a single and stole second. Taylor lined a single up the middle to score Garcia.
That lead didn’t last long, as Ohtani unloaded a 422-foot, two-run home run in the fifth, followed by Trout’s 408-footer on the next pitch.
“It’s cool walking into the dugout and Shohei handing me the (home run) hat,” Trout said. “What Shohei has been doing the last couple of weeks is unbelievable, but we’ve got guys stepping up and it’s fun to be a part of.”
Jared Walsh led off the ninth with a solo home run.
