How the KC Royals extended their winning streak to 5 with home victory vs. Angels
The Kansas City Royals are the latest Major League Baseball team to reach 70 wins this season.
They arrived at that milestone with a 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Monday evening at Kauffman Stadium. In the process, they also extended their winning streak to five games and propelled themselves a half-game closer to Cleveland in the American League Central race.
The Royals (70-55) got a superb performance from All-Star pitcher Seth Lugo. The veteran right-hander rebounded from his last start and limited the Angels to four hits and two runs in seven innings.
Lugo struck out eight and improved to 14-7 this season.
“I thought it went pretty well,” Lugo said. “I made some adjustments in-between starts.”
Lugo used his full arsenal of pitches but found particular success with his four-seam fastball and slurve. He got a combined 25 swings and four whiffs from the Angels’ lineup on those two pitches, per Baseball Savant.
He said that fastball command was one of his key adjustments over the last few days.
“I saw my fastballs were a little higher in the (strike) zone and trying to go down,” Lugo said. “The vert on my fastball wasn’t how I like it to be. So I think I fixed those two things — got vert open and made some better pitches down. It opened up the top of the zone.”
Both the fastball and slurve were particularly useful in the fifth inning.
After the Royals took a 3-0 lead, Lugo ran into some slight trouble. He allowed a leadoff double to Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe to begin the frame. Next, he walked second baseman Brandon Drury to bring the tying run to the plate.
It was a key moment in the game, but Lugo was able to work around the traffic. He struck out Mickey Moniak, Jo Adell and Taylor Ward with his four-seam fastball.
“I knew the hitters’ weakness. They chase up a little bit,” Lugo said. “I think the way I pitched throughout the game kind of set up those pitches.”
The Royals scored two more runs in the seventh inning when team captain Salvador Perez hit a two-run double to bring home Bobby Witt Jr. and Vinnie Pasquantino.
“I like big opportunities and I was trying to do my job,” Perez said. “It was a pretty good moment, you know? Even winning the game is even better. It was a pretty good pitch from that guy, too. I put a pretty good swing (on it).”
Perez finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs.
Royals right-handed reliever John Schreiber picked up his second save with a clean ninth inning after returning earlier in the day from the 15-day injured list.
The Angels dropped to 53-72.
Missed previous Royals coverage?
Playoff push: Royals begin crucial stretch with teams in postseason mix
Roster move: Royals reinstate John Schreiber from 15-day injured list
Here are more notable aspects of Monday’s game:
Paul DeJong sparks Royals’ offense
The Royals started slow against Angels pitcher Carson Fulmer. But KC found its rhythm with three runs in the fourth.
DeJong was key to that offensive success, besting Fulmer in an eight-pitch at-bat.
Fulmer delivered a medley of sinkers, sliders and curveballs. None of those pitches could retire DeJong.
“(I was) just trying to go into the (strike) zone a little bit, and just trying to compete,” DeJong said. “Stay loose, just see the ball and start on time.”
Fulmer challenged DeJong with two four-seam fastballs in the strike zone. DeJong hit the first just outside the left-field foul pole.
Fulmer wasn’t so lucky with the second fastball. This time, DeJong blasted Fulmer’s 93.3 mph offering into the Angels’ bullpen for his 21st home run of the season and a 3-0 Royals lead.
“Just trying to stay through the middle ...” DeJong said. “I was happy I kept getting pitches to hit and finally put a good swing on it and come through for my team there.”
DeJong finished 2-for-4, adding a sixth-inning double off right-hander Victor Mederos.
What’s next on the KC Royals’ schedule?
The Royals continue their mid-week series against the Angels. On Tuesday, left-handed pitcher Cole Ragans will start for KC at Kauffman Stadium.
Ragans is 6-4 with a 3.61 ERA in 14 home starts this season. He has won five of his last six outings and has limited opponents to a .218 batting average in that span.
The Angels were able to get to Ragans back on May 11. He surrendered seven runs in a 9-3 loss at Angel Stadium in Anaheim.
Los Angeles is scheduled to start southpaw Tyler Anderson (9-11, 3.30 ERA) in Tuesday’s game.
This story was originally published August 19, 2024 at 9:39 PM with the headline "How the KC Royals extended their winning streak to 5 with home victory vs. Angels."
