Field Level Media
Jun 22, 2022
Carlos Santana and Bobby Witt Jr. combined for nine RBIs, ruining a monster night by Shohei Ohtani, as they led the Kansas City Royals to a 12-11 victory in 11 innings against the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night in Anaheim, Calif.
Ohtani homered twice and drove in eight runs for the Angels. In the ninth, Ohtani, who already had hit a three-run homer and a sacrifice fly, crushed a 2-2 curveball over the fence in right-center off Royals reliever Scott Barlow for another three-run shot, tying the game at 10-10.
After a scoreless 10th inning, the Royals got an RBI double from Whit Merrifield and an RBI infield single by Kyle Isbel to take a 12-10 lead in the top of the 11th.
In the bottom of the 11th, Ohtani had a chance at another three-run homer that would have won the game. Instead, his sacrifice fly drove in one run to make it 12-11, but the Angels could not muster any more offense against Royals reliever Daniel Mengden, who closed it out for his first save. Mengden was one of nine Kansas City pitchers.
Both teams had impressive hitting performances.
Santana homered, doubled, singled twice and drove in five runs, while Witt homered twice and doubled.
Angels first baseman Jared Walsh, who hit for the cycle against the Mets on June 11, nearly did it again on Tuesday with a double, a triple and a home run.
Dylan Coleman (2-1) threw one scoreless inning for the win. Jose Quijada took the loss after yielding two runs (one earned) in his lone inning.
The Royals put Angels starter Reid Detmers in tough situations early in the game while taking a 5-0 lead.
Witt homered in the first inning to put Kansas City up 1-0, and the Royals added two more runs in the second on RBI doubles by Santana and Merrifield.
In the fourth, Hunter Dozier led off with a single and scored on Santana's two-run homer for a 5-0 lead. Detmers got through the fifth unscathed, but he was finished for the night. He gave up five runs on five hits and two walks while striking out six and making 95 pitches.
The Angels got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth against Royals starter Jonathan Heasley, on a solo homer by Walsh that cut the deficit to 5-1.
The Royals got the run back in the sixth against the Angels' bullpen. Santana's third hit of the night, off Angels reliever Andrew Wantz, was an RBI single that increased the Royals' lead to 6-1.
--Field Level Media