After two abbreviated starts full of being “too fine” and “doing too much” and putting a lot of stress on the bullpen, Kansas City Royals young ace Brad Keller bounced back with a powerful performance against the Los Angeles Angels.
Keller showed off a fastball that touched 98 mph, allowed one run on four hits and one walk over 5 2/3 innings and staked his club to a one-run lead before exiting.
The Royals tacked on four insurance runs in the final two innings on their way to a 6-1 win over the Angels in front of an announced crowd of 6,814 at Kauffman Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. The win also gave the Royals (6-4) the series victory.
Keller struck out five batters and gave up just one extra-base hit, an RBI double to Jared Walsh in the sixth inning.
Royals catcher Salvador Perez, the defensive hero of Tuesday night’s win, went 2 for 4 with a home run, a double, two RBIs and two runs scored. In the three-game series, Perez went 8 for 12 with three run scored, two doubles, a homer and four RBIs
Carlos Santana hit his second home run of the season, and he also walked twice.
Left fielder Andrew Benintendi enjoyed his first multi-hit game as a Royal. He went 2 for 5 and also registered his third stolen base of the season.
Third baseman Hunter Dozier broke out of his drought with a pair of singles. He’d started the season in an 0-for-16 slump. Dozier went 2 for 4 with a run scored.
UP NEXT
The Royals continue a 10-game homestand with the opening game of a four-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday night. Right-hander Jakob Junis will start for the Royals, while the Blue Jays have not announced a starter.
The Royals rotation for the series, following Junis, includes Mike Minor on Friday, Brady Singer on Saturday and Danny Duffy on Sunday.
