Royals 11, Angels 4
Billy Butler went 5-for-5 with five RBIs as visiting Kansas City took the opener of the three-game series.
Alcides Escobar, Lorenzo Cain and Salvador Perez contributed three hits apiece for Kansas City, which had 19 hits. Royals right-hander Luis Mendoza (1-2) allowed three runs and six hits in six innings to earn his first victory in his last eight starts.
Angels starter Joe Blanton (0-7) gave up seven runs and 12 hits in 4 2/3 innings, the seventh straight start he has yielded at least eight hits. Josh Hamilton and Alberto Callaspo had two hits apiece for Los Angeles.
Butler, who recorded the second five-hit game of his seven-year career, drove in the first three runs for the Royals. Hamilton misplayed his deep fly ball to right in the first for an RBI double and Butler delivered a two-out, two-run single in the third to make it 3-0.
After the Angels scored a run in the bottom half of the third, the Royals scored seven straight runs over the next three innings to take a 10-1 lead.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Angels OF Mike Trout is hitting .346 since moving from left field to center April 30, compared to .254 before the switch. … Eight of Kansas City’s 11 RBIs came with two outs. … Blanton leads the majors in hits allowed with 75.