The Angels began Thursday evening's game with a solo home run by Mike Trout. Albert Pujols and Chris Iannetta each hit solo along the way and with the game 3-2 in the eighth inning, Mark Trumbo hit a two-run homer for insurance.
Joe Blanton pitched into the seventh inning, allowing two earned runs on seven hits. A few missed double plays (missed because of fast Kansas City running and not any fielding ineptitude on the part of the Halos) extended Jo-Blo but it was still the best outing of his Angels career so far and yielded his first Win as an Angel. With a 3-2 lead and Royals on 1B and 3B, Jo-Blo gave way to newly-returned Sean Burnett who got a perfect 6-4-3 double play to end the threat. In the eighth Michael Kohn got two outs but gave up a walk, Scott Downs allowed a walk to one batter he faced and gave way to Garret Richards who got a ground out from Billy Butler representing the tying run.
In the ninth, Ernesto Frieri was shaky, squandering two of the the three runs he had as a cushion. Esteban Yan's jersey, populated by Robert Coello, came in and induced a flyout with the tying and winning runs on base. It was his first career Save.
The four individual homers were the most by any team at Kauffman Stadium this season. Trout's homer was his tenth of the season, making him the first player this season to get to double figures in HRs and Stolen Bases.