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Aybar leads Angels past Royals, 2-1, in 11 innings

Sep 6, 2009 - 2:45 AM KANSAS CITY, Mo.(AP) -- Erick Aybar had three hits, including a tiebreaking RBI single in the 11th inning, as the Los Angeles Angels beat the Kansas City Royals 2-1 Saturday night.

Aybar's single off Yasuhiko Yabuta (0-1) scored Torii Hunter, who led off the 11th with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch. After Juan Rivera walked with one out, Aybar stroked a run-scoring single to right.

Kevin Jepsen (5-3) worked a perfect 10th, striking out two, to pick up the victory. Brian Fuentes worked around David DeJesus' double with one out in the 11th to get his 39th save in 44 opportunities.

Starters Zack Greinke of the Royals and John Lackey of the Angels matched up in a pitcher's duel.

Greinke, who threw a one-hitter at Seattle in his last start and struck out a club-record 15 in his previous outing against Cleveland on Aug. 25, allowed one unearned run on eight hits in eight innings. He left after a career high 125 pitches and lowered his ERA to a major league-best 2.22. In his last three starts, he has allowed two earned runs and 14 hits, while striking 28 in 25 innings.

Greinke struck out eight against Angels, increasing his season total to 210, the second-highest in Royals history. Dennis Leonard holds the franchise record with 244 strikeouts in 1977.

The Angels tied the score with two out in the eighth off Greinke. Chone Figgins reached on Willie Bloomquist's fielding error to open the inning. He moved to third on Macier Izturis' single to right with none out.

It appeared Greinke might pitch out of the trouble, striking out Bobby Abreu and getting Vladimir Guerrero on a foul pop up to catcher Miguel Olivo. Hunter, however, singled to center to score Figgins with the trying run.

Lackey retired 17 in a row after giving up a run-producing single to Billy Butler in the first. Butler's hit scored Bloomquist, who had an infield single and stole second.

The Royals did not get another hit until Butler led off the seventh with a single.

Lackey allowed one run and six hits in nine innings, striking out four and walking none.

DeJesus, who had not made an error in 129 games this season, caught Figgins' foul ball in the fifth and threw out Aybar at the plate to end the inning.

Notes: Royals 2B Alberto Callaspo did not play because of a sore right ankle after fouling a pitch off it Friday. ... The Angels are 8-0 against the Royals this season. ...The Royals promoted RHPs Victor Marte and Carlos Rosa and LHP Dusty Hughes from their Triple-A Omaha club. Marte pitched the past three years in Japan after being on major league baseball's disqualified list from 2002-05.