HEADLINE

Angels look to keep powering past opponents vs. Royals

Field Level Media

April 13, 2021 at 12:07 pm.

The Los Angeles Angels have homered in all 10 of their games this season, which has led to a 7-3 record — their best start since 2018.

They’ll try to continue to pile up the home runs, and the wins, in the second game of a three-game series in Kansas City against the Royals. The Angels won Monday’s game 10-3, with the final two runs coming on Mike Trout’s home run in the ninth inning.

The Angels have hit 14 home runs, with three players having at least three of them. Trout leads the club with four, while Shohei Ohtani and Jared Walsh have three each.

Los Angeles has won 11 of its past 14 games vs. the Royals since April 2018. Manager Joe Maddon will send right-hander Dylan Bundy to the mound for the Angels on Tuesday in an attempt to continue the winning ways.

Bundy (0-0, 3.45 ERA) allowed two runs in six innings, striking out 10, in his last outing against the Astros — a 4-2 loss on April 6.

Bundy is 1-1 with a 4.54 ERA in seven appearances (six starts) against Kansas City. He’s struck out 35 Royals hitters in 33 2/3 innings.

“He pitches like an ace,” Maddon said. “That’s the best I can describe it. This guy pitches like he knows what he’s doing. His stuff is better than he’s been given credit for and he definitely has the mentality.”

The Royals will counter with LHP Danny Duffy (1-0, 0.00). Duffy had the best outing of any Royals starter this season when he gave up just two hits over six scoreless innings against Cleveland in a 3-0 win on April 5.

“Danny was fantastic,” Kansas City manager Mike Matheny said after Duffy’s last outing. “It’s really hard to guess along when he had a couple good pitches that he could go to any time for strikes. It was as good as I’ve seen Danny, and as good of a time for us as any to have a start like that.”

Duffy’s outing came after a rough season-opening series for Royals starters. Their starting rotation had a 12.66 ERA in the first three starts, with the club surrendering 21 runs to the Texas Rangers.

Duffy is 3-2 with a 3.86 ERA in eight career appearances against the Angels. The Southern California native has struggled with his control, with 16 walks and 22 strikeouts in 42 career innings against them.

A resurgent Duffy is one thing the Royals will need to stay in contention in the American League Central. In the shortened season in 2020, Duffy made it through the sixth inning just twice in 11 starts. But he came into spring training with an increased level of preparation that Matheny said he hopes will pay off.

“I think there’s a whole new Danny Duffy out there,” Matheny said. “I really do. … I just see a level of commitment right now that looks unique to me. And I don’t think it’s a coincidence when you have that kind of preparation and that kind of attention to detail and how you ready yourself, that the end product is better. I’m just anticipating watching a lot of this Danny Duffy.”

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