Angels at Royals
The Los Angeles Angels attempt to remain unbeaten on their seven-game road trip when they visit the Kansas City Royals on Friday for the second contest of their four-game set. Los Angeles is 4-0 on its trek and has won seven straight on the road - and five in a row overall - after posting a 7-1 victory in Thursday's series opener.
Ian Kinsler hit his 47th career leadoff homer and Mike Trout also went deep while joining Justin Upton with three hits for the Angels, who have outscored their opponents 39-8 during their overall winning streak. Japanese two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani continued to impress at the plate Thursday, delivering a three-run triple to give him at least one hit in each of the six games in which he's been in the starting lineup (9-for-25, 11 RBIs). The Royals fell to 1-3 on their seven-game homestand with Thursday's setback, which gave them their second three-game skid of the young season. Mike Moustakas is doing his part at the plate for Kansas City as he has recorded five straight multi-hit performances, going 11-for-21 with two home runs and six RBIs during the streak.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, FS West (Los Angeles), FS Kansas City
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels LH Andrew Heaney (2017: 1-2, 7.06 ERA) vs. Royals RH Jason Hammel (0-1, 4.09)
Heaney is expected to be activated from the 10-day disabled list in order to make his season debut after missing the first two weeks with inflammation in his left elbow. The 26-year-old native of Oklahoma made one rehab start for Single-A Inland Empire, allowing one run and two hits with six strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings. Heaney, who has made only six starts for the Angels over the last two seasons, will be facing Kansas City for the first time in his career.
Hammel remains in search of his first win of 2018 as he makes his third start - and first at home. The 35-year-old from South Carolina yielded five runs over five innings in a loss at Detroit in his season debut but bounced back to scatter three hits over six scoreless frames in a no-decision at Cleveland on Sunday. Hammel has posted a 2-3 record and 5.30 ERA in six starts and one relief appearance against Los Angeles in his career.
WALK-OFFS
1. Angels OF Kole Calhoun is 9-for-26 during his six-game hitting streak and has collected six RBIs on his four-game run, including two in each of his last two contests.
2. Kinsler is fourth on the all-time list for leadoff homers, trailing Rickey Henderson (81), Alfonso Soriano (54) and Craig Biggio (53).
3. Los Angeles SS Andrelton Simmons went 2-for-4 on Thursday, giving him hits in 12 of his 14 games this season.