Anaheim, CA—-In Anaheim, Adam Frazier’s two-run homer in the ninth sealed a 2-1 win for the Kansas City Royals against the struggling Los Angeles Angels. MJ Melendez’s single set the stage for Frazier’s clutch hit off Angels closer Carlos Estévez.
Frazier, breaking a dry spell of 74 games, attributed his success to staying relaxed and focusing on his swing mechanics. Melendez contributed three hits to the Royals’ victory, while Tyler Duffey earned his first win since 2022. Despite Jo Adell’s homer and Griffin Canning’s strong pitching, the Angels suffered their 16th loss in 21 games. Alec Marsh’s return from injury bolstered the Royals’ effort, with John Schreiber securing his first save of the season.
“I’ve been working on a lot of different things,” Frazier said. “I probably changed ideas 10 times today, to be honest. The last couple of at-bats, just kind of relaxed and let the hands take over. Just tried to get the body out of the way and swing easy.”
Melendez had three hits for Kansas City, which has won three straight and seven of 10. Tyler Duffey (1-0) pitched the eighth to get his first victory since 2022.
Adell’s stellar defensive play and homer showcased the Angels’ effort, but Canning’s pitching mastery couldn’t prevent the defeat. The Royals praised Canning’s performance, acknowledging his effective changeup.
Reliever Adam Cimber escaped Canning’s sixth-inning jam by striking out Massey, Matt Moore and Luis García each threw a scoreless inning before Estévez blew the game.
Despite the loss, the Angels saw promising debuts from Niko Goodrum and Luis Guillorme as they navigate injuries to key players like Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon.
UP NEXT:
LHP Tyler Anderson (2-4, 2.74 ERA) takes the hill for Los Angeles in the third game of the series Saturday, facing Kansas City LHP Cole Ragans (2-2, 3.38 ERA).
