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Hosmer, Butler guide Royals over Angels

Apr 8, 2012 - 11:32 PM Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - Eric Hosmer and Billy Butler each launched two- run home runs and batted in three runs apiece to help Kansas City capture its opening series with a 7-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels.

Hosmer finished 2-for-5 with three runs scored while Butler had a 2-for-3 afternoon. Chris Getz also had two hits, an RBI and a run scored in the victory.

Jonathan Sanchez (1-0) tossed five innings, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out four to pick up the win. Jonathan Broxton came in with two runners on and no outs in the ninth, and struck out all three batters he faced to pick up his first save with the Royals.

"I felt pretty good today, and I was glad to help my team. I just went out there and had fun," Broxton said.

Angels starter Ervin Santana (0-1) was tagged for six runs -- five earned -- on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Vernon Wells hit a solo homer and Albert Pujols went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI in a losing effort.

The Royals surged to a 3-0 lead in the first. Hosmer singled in Alcides Escobar with one out before Butler launched a 3-1 slider out to dead center field.

"It was good to jump on top early. That's a good ballclub over there," Hosmer said. "This was a good test for our ballclub. We all like the way we bounced back from losing game one and took the series."

Pujols answered in the bottom half with his first RBI in an Angels uniform, a groundout that scored Howie Kendrick, and Los Angeles got within one run on Torii Hunter's run-scoring groundout in the third.

But Hosmer drove Santana's first offering into the right-field seats in the fifth, and Kansas City tacked on one run in each of the sixth and seventh innings on RBI hits from Getz and Butler, respectively.

Wells pulled the Angels to within four in the home half of the eighth, belting Kelvin Herrera's 0-1 curveball into the bullpen in left field, but they got no closer.

"It's only three games into the season. We're trying to fine-tune our game," said the Angels' Howie Kendrick. "Those guys over there swung the bats well and their pitchers did well."

Game Notes

Kansas City's Alex Gordon was 0-for-5 and has yet to record a hit in 13 at- bats this season...Los Angeles begins a six-game road trip at Minnesota on Monday. Kansas City continues a six-game trip at Oakland, also on Monday.