ANAHEIM, Calif. _ Alex Meyer took another step toward becoming the pitcher the Angels hope he can be on Saturday night.
Meyer had the best start of his young career in the Angels' 9-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals, tossing six scoreless innings with nine strikeouts.
He also walked just one, a notable figure for a pitcher who came into the game averaging 6.5 walks per nine innings. Certainly, some of that is attributed to the Royals, who have drawn the fewest walks in the majors.
Meyer, the 6-foot-9 right-hander with a 97-mph fastball that he sometimes can't control, has suddenly run off a string of six starts in which he has a 1.91 ERA.
He had not gotten through any of his previous 14 career starts without allowing a run.
The Royals only real threat against him came in the sixth inning, because the Angels made two straight errors to start the inning. Yunel Escobar misplayed a grounder and then Danny Espinosa dropped a feed at second for a force.
Meyer got Emilio Bonifacio to hit into a double play. After issuing his only walk of the day _ to Lorenzo Cain, the Royals' most dangerous hitter _ he struck out Eric Hosmer to end the threat.
By then he had a five-run cushion, and the Angels would continue adding on in a robust offensive performance.
Cameron Maybin led off the game with a homer, which extended his streak to 22 straight games reaching by a hit or walk.
In the fourth, Espinosa's bases-loaded single drove in two. In the fifth, Albert Pujols hit a two-run homer. His 602nd homer also netted him his 1,8675th RBI, which passed Mel Ott to move into 10th place all-time.
Luis Valbuena hit a three-run homer in the seventh.
