Jac Caglianone homered and drove in five runs as the Kansas City Royals edged the Los Angeles Angels 7-6 on Friday night, ending a four-game losing streak.
Michael Massey also homered and finished with three hits for Kansas City. The Royals erased a 6-5 deficit and received three scoreless innings from their bullpen to close out the game.
Nolan Schanuel drove in four runs for Los Angeles, while Josh Lowe homered to briefly put the Angels ahead in the sixth. The loss ended a three-game winning streak for Los Angeles.
Caglianone Continues Hot Stretch
Caglianone entered the game on an extended run of strong production and remained one of Kansas City’s most dangerous hitters.
He collected three hits and five RBIs, including a two-run home run in the fifth inning. The homer was his 22nd of the season and gave the Royals a 5-4 lead against Angels left-hander Sammy Peralta.
Caglianone extended his hitting streak to 12 games. He is batting .438 during that stretch, going 21-for-48 with five home runs and 18 RBIs.
His production helped Kansas City overcome another difficult outing for its starting pitcher.
Seth Lugo allowed five runs on seven hits and lasted 4 2/3 innings. Los Angeles consistently created traffic against him and stayed within striking distance despite Kansas City’s early offensive success.
Angels Briefly Move Ahead
The Angels responded after falling behind 5-4.
Lowe connected against Alex Lange for a solo home run in the sixth inning. The blast gave Los Angeles a 6-5 advantage and put the Angels in position for a fourth consecutive win.
Schanuel played a major role in keeping the Angels close throughout the night. He finished with two hits and four RBIs, providing much of the offense around Lowe’s homer.
Kansas City answered quickly.
The Royals scored twice against Tayler Saucedo in the seventh inning and moved back in front 7-6. Saucedo took the loss in his first decision of the season.
That rally shifted the game back toward Kansas City, and the Royals’ bullpen made the lead stand.
Royals Bullpen Shuts the Door
Kansas City’s relief pitching gave the Angels no opportunity to respond over the final innings.
John Schreiber, Nate Pearson and Steven Cruz each worked a scoreless inning. The trio protected the one-run advantage after the Royals moved ahead.
Cruz handled the final inning and earned his fourth save of the season.
The bullpen’s work proved especially important after Lugo struggled to contain Los Angeles. Once Kansas City secured the lead, the relievers prevented the Angels from producing another scoring threat.
The performance also allowed Lange to earn the win despite surrendering Lowe’s go-ahead homer in the sixth. Lange improved to 2-7.
Massey Adds to Kansas City Attack
Massey joined Caglianone with a three-hit performance and supplied additional power with a home run.
Kansas City needed production throughout its lineup in a game that repeatedly shifted between the teams. Caglianone provided the biggest hits, but Massey’s contributions helped the Royals stay ahead of an Angels offense that scored six times.
The Royals entered the game looking to stop a four-game slide. Their offense responded with seven runs, while the bullpen covered the final three innings without allowing Los Angeles to draw even.
The result ended the Angels’ three-game winning streak.
Caglianone Remains Central to Royals Offense
Caglianone’s five-RBI performance continued a productive stretch that has become increasingly important for Kansas City.
His fifth-inning homer put the Royals ahead after Los Angeles had kept the game close. He also continued to reach base late, maintaining pressure on the Angels’ pitching staff.
With five homers and 18 RBIs during his 12-game hitting streak, Caglianone has supplied consistent power in the middle of Kansas City’s lineup.
Los Angeles had its own productive night at the plate, particularly from Schanuel and Lowe. However, the Angels could not score after taking their sixth-inning lead.
Kansas City’s late response and three clean relief innings ultimately decided the game.
Up Next
The series continues Saturday night in Anaheim.
Kansas City is scheduled to start right-hander Randy Dobnak, who enters the game with a 2-1 record and a 2.00 ERA.
The Angels will counter with left-hander Reid Detmers. He enters the matchup at 3-8 with a 4.00 ERA as Los Angeles looks to respond after its three-game winning streak came to an end.