Royals Drop Rubber Game Against Angels, 11-6

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Kansas City Royals Vs. Los Angeles Angels Final Score: Halos Top KC, 11-5

The Kansas City Royals were unable to build on Tuesday's win, much to the chagrin of the Royals and Royals fans. Luke Hochevar had a disastrous outing on Wednesday, lasting just three innings, surrendering eight runs (six earned) on nine hits, while recording just nine outs in Los Angeles' 11-6 win over the Royals.

After jumping out to a quick 8-0 lead, it looked like the Angels, with ace Jered Weaver on the mound, were in complete control of the game. Billy Butler hit a two-run homer off of Weaver in the fifth to cut the deficit to 8-2, and Jeff Francoeur belted a three-run homer off of Scott Downs in the eighth to cut Los Angeles' lead to 8-5.

Kansas City's bullpen, though, couldn't hold the Angels down in the bottom half of the eighth. Mike Trout belted his 16th homer, a two-run shot off of Louis Coleman to extend Los Angeles' lead to 10-5. Torii Hunter hit a solo shot off of Coleman, good for back-to-back homers for Trout and Hunter, giving the Angels an 11-5 lead.

Billy Butler singled home Alex Gordon in the ninth to account for Kansas City's sixth run. Butler finished the day 2-4, with a home run, walk, and three runs batted in.

Six members of Los Angeles' lineup recorded multi-hit games, with Hunter going 4-5 and Albert Callaspo going 3-4. All in all, Kansas City's pitchers allowed a staggering 17 hits in the losing effort.

The Royals will look to rebound this weekend in Seattle against the Mariners.

For more on the Royals, check out Royals Review.

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Will Smith Gives Royals Much-Needed Breakthrough Performance Against Angels

The Kansas City Royals needed someone to come through -- anyone for that matter. The starting rotation has been absolutely abysmal and, at this point in the season, it seems as if the front office is throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks. From trading disappointing starter Jon Sanchez for Jeremy Guthrie to going with long relievers or fringe prospects on the mound, the Royals have been desperate for a starter to come forward. Enter Will Smith.

Smith made his Major League debut earlier this season to subpar results at 1-2 overall with a 9.00 ERA. Yet after shaking jitters and regaining his command and confidence again in AAA Omaha, he's been much better on the mound the second time around. In fact, he delivered a very strong seven-inning performance last night against the dominant Los Angeles Angels line-up.

"Something just clicked," Smith said afterward. "Some nights are like that. You struggle through the first innings with fastball command, something clicks and it's there. The first three innings I had no fastball command, and after that it showed up, which was nice."

Smith allowed only two hits and one run in seven innings to show why he's earned a chance to start in the majors. Given his performance last night, he's bound to get several more attempts to stick. The Royals needed something and apparently Smith was more than ready to answer the call.

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Royals Vs. Angels: Wednesday's Lineups Announced

The lineups for Wednesday's rubber match of the Kansas City Royals three-game series with the Los Angeles Angels, a get-away game set to begin at 3:35 this afternoon, are out:

Kansas City:

1. Alex Gordon (L) LF

2. Alcides Escobar (R) SS

3. Lorenzo Cain (R) CF

4. Billy Butler (R) DH

5. Mike Moustakas (L) 3B

6. Salvador Perez (R) C

7. Jeff Francoeur (R) RF

8. Eric Hosmer (L) 1B

9. Yuniesky Betancourt (R) 2B

Los Angeles:

1. Mike Trout (R) LF

2. Torii Hunter (R) DH

3. Mark Trumbo (R) RF

4. Kendrys Morales (S) 1B

5. Alberto Callaspo (S) 3B

6. Howard Kendrick (R) 2B

7. Maicer Izturis (S) SS

8. Peter Bourjos (R) CF

9. Bobby Wilson (R) C

Angels manager Mike Scioscia juggled his lineup to give Albert Pujols (elbow) the day off and keep Torii Hunter (ribs) out of the field; both were banged up their 4-1 loss to Kansas City on Tuesday night.

Read more on the Royals at Royals Review and SB Nation Kansas City. Head over to Halos Heaven and SB Nation Los Angeles for more on the Angels. Baseball Nation is your source for news and analysis around Major League Baseball.

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Royals Vs. Angels Preview: Wednesday Game Time, TV Info And More

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Royals Vs. Angels Final Score: Smith Brilliant As Royals Beat Angels 4-1

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Royals Vs. Angels: Tuesday's Lineups Announced

The Royals will look to even the three-game series against the Angels on Tuesday night in Anaheim. Kansas City fell 6-3 in the series-opener on Monday. Tuesday's lineups have been announced.

Here is the Royals lineup:

1. Alex Gordon LF

2. Alcides Escobar SS

3. Lorenzo Cain CF

4. Billy Butler DH

5. Mike Moustakas 3B

6. Salvador Perez C

7. Jeff Francoeur RF

8. Eric Hosmer 1B

9. Chris Getz 2B

Here is the Angels lineup:

1. Mike Trout CF

2. Torii Hunter RF

3. Albert Pujols DH

4. Mark Trumbo LF

5. Howard Kendrick 2B

6. Kendrys Morales 1B

7. Alberto Callaspo 3B

8. Jean Segura SS

9. John Hester C

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Royals Vs. Angels Preview: Game Schedule, TV Info And More

The Royals and Angels resume their three-game series on Tuesday as the struggling Royals attempt to knock off a likely playoff contending team in Los Angeles. Kansas City dropped the series opener on Monday by a score of 6-3. In Tuesday's game, Will Smith (1-3, 7.97 ERA) faces Garrett Richards (3-1, 3.53 ERA).

Both of these starting pitchers have spent time in the Minor Leagues recently. In Smith's last start, returning from a brief Minor League stint, he gave up eight hits, four earned runs and a homer in a 6-1 loss to the Seattle Mariners.

Check out the game schedule and broadcast information right here:

Date/Time: Tuesday, July 24, 10:05 p.m. ET

TV: Fox Sports Kansas City

Online streaming: MLB.tv

Read more on the Royals at Royals Review and SB Nation Kansas City. Head over to Halos Heaven and SB Nation Los Angeles for more on the Angels. Baseball Nation is your source for news and analysis around Major League Baseball.

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Will Smith Earns Another Start With Kansas City Royals Rotation

The Kansas City Royals need several of their top pitching prospects to begin to come through, but so far it seems that they're either injured or disappointing as the reach the highest levels. Jake Odorizzi will hopefully become the next great pitcher for the Royals as he advances through the system, but Will Smith is also staking his claim at the part and hopes to land a long-term position in the rotation, even if it's not as the staff ace.

Smith already earned a promotion earlier this year to make his Major League debut and the results weren't so great. He went 1-2 with a 9.00 ERA and found himself back in AAA Omaha after only three starts. However, his most recent start after being called back up brought a higher level of comfort and confidence and his talent really shone through despite giving up four earned runs against the Mariners.

"We want to see Will Smith continue to develop. He's a 22-year-old left-hander who we think has a chance to be a solid back end of the rotation starter at the big league level on a real good team," KC manager Ned Yost said. "Teaford fits better long right now."

Smith will get his next start on Thursday against the Los Angeles Angels.

Read more on the Royals at Royals Review and SB Nation Kansas City. Head over toHalos Heaven and SB Nation Los Angeles for more on the Angels. Baseball Nation is your source for news and analysis around Major League Baseball.

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Angels All-Star Line-Up Makes Life Difficult For Royals Pitchers

The heart of the Los Angeles Angels line-up reads like a section of the American League All-Star line-up. That spells trouble for the Kansas City Royals staff in their current series against the red hot bats of the Angels -- one anchored by Albert Pujols who, incredibly enough, wasn't even named an All-Star in 2012.

Last night, Bruce Chen held the Angels to three runs in just over five innings, but after the game, he spoke about the difficulty facing the team.

"They have a very good team and they're very tough on lefties -- their whole lineup is right-handed," Chen said. "I thought I made good pitches, I battled. It's tough when you have to face [Albert] Pujols, Torii Hunter, [Mark] Trumbo, [Mike] Trout. We were close and we did everything we could."

In the end, it was a bat given the night off who came in to pinch hit the winning runs in. Kendry Morales came in off of Greg Holland in the eight to seal the win -- another bit of evidence that the Angels are loaded offensively.

The Royals hope to turn the tide in game two and somehow quiet the bats that cause trouble for any starting rotation -- let alone one as thin as the Royals have.

Read more on the Royals at Royals Review and SB Nation Kansas City. Head over toHalos Heaven and SB Nation Los Angeles for more on the Angels. Baseball Nation is your source for news and analysis around Major League Baseball.

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Angels Vs. Royals Final Score: Halos Win First Game Of Series 6-3

Bruce Chen largely matched C.J. Wilson inning for inning, but in the very end, it was the bullpen that led the Kansas City Royals down. It's a story that's typically written the opposite way for the Royals given the state of the starting rotation, but the team still lost against the Los Angeles Angels late Monday evening in their first game against the Halos this series.

The Angels won 6-3 after scoring three runs off of losing pitcher Greg Holland in the bottom of the eighth inning. Kendry Morales cleared a bases loaded situation with a pinch-hit single and Scott Downs closed things out for his ninth save.

Chen went just over five innings for the Royals to start the game and allowed three earned runs and five hits while striking out two.

Alex Gordon, Eric Hosmer and Yuniesky Betancourt each had two hits apiece for Kansas City.

Read more on the Royals at Royals Review and SB Nation Kansas City. Head over toHalos Heaven and SB Nation Los Angeles for more on the Angels. Baseball Nation is your source for news and analysis around Major League Baseball.

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Royals Vs. Angels: Lineups Announced For Monday

The Kansas City Royals will begin a trip out west on Monday when they visit the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The hot-hitting Lorenzo Cain is hitting third for the Royals.

The full lineups are:

Kansas City Royals