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Hunter homers twice as Angels rally past Royals

May 31, 2011 - 3:27 AM Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - Torii Hunter blasted two home runs, including the go-ahead homer in the top of the ninth, to give the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim a 10-8 victory over the Kansas City Royals.

Bobby Abreu also paced the Angels' offense, collecting four hits and two RBI. Mark Trumbo and Peter Bourjos also homered for the victors.

Kevin Jepsen (1-2) tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings to pick up his first win of the year for the Angels. LA starter Ervin Santana tossed six innings, giving up six runs on seven hits while striking out five and walking four.

Blue-chip rookie Eric Hosmer picked up two hits, including his fifth home run of the season and a career high-tying four RBI for the Royals, who have lost three in a row. Alex Gordon also homered.

Luke Hochevar struggled through five innings for KC, allowing four runs on seven hits while walking three and fanning two. Joakim Soria (3-3) absorbed the loss and blew his fifth save of the season for the Royals.

Soria, trying to hold an 8-7 lead, got Erick Aybar to strike out to begin the ninth. Abreu followed with a single to left, and Hunter came up and promptly deposited Soria's pitch into the left field seats to give LA a one-run lead.

His fourth run driven in gave Hunter 1,000 career RBI.

The Angels weren't done, however. Callaspo singled to center and Russell Branyan followed with an infield single which allowed Callaspo to advance to third. Trumbo was then able to reach on Wilson Betemit's error, which scored Callaspo and gave the Angels a two-run lead.

Fernando Rodney hurled a 1-2-3 ninth to record his third save of the season.

After the game, Royals manager Ned Yost said Soria will be replaced by Aaron Crow in the closer's role.

"It's time to make a change, let [Soria] take a step back and get himself together and take that closer's role over again some time in the future," Yost said.

Los Angeles opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first. Maicer Izturis led off the game with a hit-by-pitch, followed by an Aybar sacrifice bunt to give the Angels a runner in scoring position with one out. Abreu then singled into right to score Izturis.

Kansas City took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the frame. Gordon led off by crushing a first-pitch fastball from Santana over the wall in dead center field. After a Melky Cabrera walk, Hosmer smacked Santana's pitch deep over the wall in right to push the Royals out to an early 3-1 lead.

The Royals struck for three more runs in the second. Two walks and a hit batsman loaded the bases with no outs for KC. Hosmer came up and drove a fastball off the scoreboard in right to score Chris Getz and Alcides Escobar. Jeff Francouer followed with a sac fly to score Gordon.

Los Angeles responded with two runs in the third. After Bourjos grounded to short, Izturis and Aybar walked to give the Angels two on with only one out. Abreu then roped a ball off the left field scoreboard to plate Izturis. After Hunter struck out, Callaspo slapped a single to left to score Aybar. Branyan struck out to end the inning for the Halos.

The Angels trimmed the deficit with a two-out run in the fifth. Abreu smoked a double to left and Hunter followed with an RBI single to center.

Los Angeles cut the lead to one in the seventh. After Aybar and Abreu flew out, Hunter stepped up and belted an Everett Teaford pitch over the wall in center.

The Royals bounced back and expanded their lead in the seventh against Angels reliever Rich Thompson. Butler slapped a two-out single to right and Betemit followed with a triple to right which scored Butler. Matt Treanor walked to continue the rally and give Kansas City runners on the corners. Getz followed with a bloop single into left to score Betemit and push the Royals back to a three-run lead. Jepsen took over for Thompson and got Escobar to ground out to stop the bleeding for Los Angeles.

The Angels fired back in the eighth with two solo home runs from Trumbo and Bourjos to pull within a run.

"We smelled blood from there," said Hunter, referring to the two home runs sparking the comeback. "Two or three runs is not going to hold us back."

Game Notes

The Royals opened a homestand Monday after a difficult 1-5 road-trip, capped by a 7-6 loss to the Rangers on Sunday...Kansas City hosted Los Angeles for the second consecutive Memorial Day...The Royals lead the series with LA this season, with a 3-2 mark...Hochevar has four career starts against Los Angeles, posting three losses and one no-decision. He has won only once in his previous eight starts...Trumbo leads all American League rookies with 10 home runs this season.