KANSAS CITY, Mo.(AP)– C.J. Cron and Kole Calhoun each drove in a pair of runs in the ninth inning Thursday night, rallying the Los Angeles Angels past Kansas City and its stout bullpen for a 7-6 victory and an end to their seven-game skid against the Royals.
Kansas City had built a 5-1 advantage heading to the eighth, but All-Star reliever Wade Davis coughed up two runs in his first appearance since Aug. 6, when a stiff back put him on the shelf.
Greg Holland (3-1) entered in the ninth and gave up a leadoff single, a walk and threw a wild pitch. Cron followed with a pinch-hit double to tie the game, and after Johnny Giavotella singled, Calhoun added his go-ahead double into the right-field corner.
Holland then walked Mike Trout before he was finally pulled. The former All-Star closer allowed four runs and four hits and a pair of walks without retiring a batter.
Huston Street gave up Eric Hosmer’s solo shot in the ninth before getting Alex Rios to fly out with runners on first and second to end the game. Street earned his 27th save with Albert Pujols — because of pinch hitters and substitutions — forced to play third base for the second time this season and only the 12th time since 2002.
Jose Alvarez (3-3) tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings to earn the win.
The Royals’ stunning bullpen meltdown squandered a nice bounce-back start by Jeremy Guthrie, who allowed two runs and three walks over six innings. The veteran had been dinged for at least 10 hits in each of his past three outings, putting his spot in the rotation in question.
Garrett Richards allowed three runs and eight hits and two walks for Los Angles.
Rios, Lorenzo Cain and Drew Butera drove in runs off Richards early in the game, and Hosmer and Kendrys Morales appeared to put it out of reach when they touched up the Angels bullpen.
Then, an offense that had been sputtering came to life.
Trout, Conor Gillaspie and David Murphy also drove in runs for Los Angeles, which had managed four runs total in a three-game sweep by the White Sox to start its road trip.
