Moustakas' eighth-inning homer lifts Royals past Angels
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Mike Moustakas and Brandon Moss homered as the Kansas City Royals topped the Los Angeles Angels 3-2 Saturday night.
Moustakas' one-out eighth-inning home run broke a 2-2 tie. He homered off Jose Alvarez (0-1).
Joakim Soria (1-0) worked 1 2/3 scoreless innings to claim the victory. He allowed one hit, walked two and struck out four.
The Royals got another quality start with right-hander Nathan Karns allowing one run on four hits over six innings. Royals starters top the American League with a 2.59 ERA, allowing 19 earned runs over 66 innings.
Ben Revere singled with one out in the top of the first and moved to third on Mike Trout's single to right. After Trout stole second, Revere scored when Albert Pujols grounded out to third baseman Mike Moustakas. However, if Trout had not swiped second, Pujols would have likely grounded into an inning-ending double play.
The Royals tied the score at 1 in the bottom of the inning. Alex Gordon led off with a walk and stopped at second on Lorenzo Cain's ground single to center. Eric Hosmer laced a full-count pitch to left to score Gordon. Matt Shoemaker labored through the inning, throwing 33 pitches.
Brandon Moss hit a bases-empty home run out to right in the fourth to put the Royals up 2-1. Moss drove a 2-and-1 Shoemaker pitch over the Angels' right-field bullpen.
Karns retired 14 of the next 15 batters after Los Angeles' run.
Kansas City won a challenge in the fifth when first base umpire Chris Conroy ruled Hosmer's foot was off the bag and called Martin Maldonado safe. After replays, the call was reversed. The Royals are 5-for-5 on challenges this season.
NOTES: Albert Pujols played first base for the first time this year, including spring training, for the Angels. CF Mike Trout was the Angels DH, while Cameron Maybin replaced him in center. ... Royals INF Christian Colon has appeared in only one game -- on April 8 -- and has just two at-bats. ... Angels RHP Garrett Richards had an MRI exam, which detected no cervical disk damage or nerve issues causing his biceps weakness. ... Angels LHP Tyler Skaggs and Royals RHP Ian Kennedy are the pitching probables for the series finale Sunday.