CLEVELAND (AP) — Starter and stopper. Josh Tomlin is handling both roles for the Indians.

The dependable right-hander stayed unbeaten and again helped Cleveland bounce back after a loss, leading the Indians over the Kansas City Royals 5-4 on Sunday.

Tomlin (5-0) worked into the seventh inning and became the first Indians pitcher to win his first five outings since Justin Masterson in 2011. He’s also been the one to get the Indians back on track, improving to 12-0 with a 2.82 ERA following a Cleveland loss since the beginning of last season.

“That’s why he’s a leader on this team,” catcher Yan Gomes said. “Anytime he comes in to pitch, whether he’s scuffling a little bit or not, he’s a bulldog.”

Carlos Santana and Mike Napoli homered off Edinson Volquez (3-3) as the Indians took two of three from the defending World Series champions.

Eric Hosmer homered for the struggling Royals, just 3-9 in their last 12.

Kansas City closed to 5-4 in the seventh, but Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor threw out Cheslor Cuthbert at the plate and reliever Bryan Shaw got Alcides Escobar to bounce into an inning-ending double play.

Royals manager Ned Yost said Cutberth, who was called up from the minors when third baseman Mike Moustakas went on the disabled list, should have reacted more quickly on Jarrod Dyson’s grounder.

“He just got a real late break on it,” Yost said. “It just wasn’t a good read.”

Shaw worked the eighth, and Cody Allen finished for his eighth save in eight chances.

The Indians have confidence in Tomlin, and he delivered another solid outing as Cleveland improved to 10-4 against the AL Central. Tomlin doesn’t have an overpowering fastball like most of Cleveland’s other starters, but there isn’t a pitcher the team trusts as much.

“You got to beat him, and sometimes you do, but he manages the game,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “You can say so many good things. He just loves competing. You can tell, he loves being out there.”

Not surprisingly, the unassuming Tomlin is taking his success in stride.

“I’m just doing my job,” he said. “It means I’m going out there and giving them a chance to win, not always the best statistical-wise maybe, but it’s a chance to win.”

Clinging to 3-2 a lead, Volquez didn’t like something with the mound and asked for maintenance before pitching in the fifth. The grounds crew fixed the dirt for him and then the Indians did some work on the right-hander, scoring three times to go ahead 5-3.

Michael Brantley tied it with an RBI single, and Lonnie Chisenhall’s bloop single gave Cleveland a 4-3 lead and chased Volquez, who walked four in 4 1/3 innings.

Marlon Byrd then made it 5-3 with a ground-rule RBI double off Danny Duffy.

Santana led off the first with his fifth homer, on Volquez’s second pitch. It was Santana’s second game-opening homer and first since April 22 against Detroit’s Justin Verlander in his first at-bat atop Cleveland’s lineup.

PRETTY IN PINK

Both teams used pink bats, wore pink-highlighted uniforms and several players wore pink cleats on Mother’s Day to bring awareness to the fight against breast cancer.

“It’s very deserving,” Tomlin said of the tribute. “I know what my mom did for me growing up, taking me to tournaments, taking me to fall ball, summer ball, high school. She was always available, and it wasn’t for her being able to do that then I probably wouldn’t be here today.”

LONNIE IN CENTER

Chisenhall made his first career start in center field and handled all three balls hit his way.

“He’s a good outfielder,” Francona said of the converted third baseman. “With repetition, he’ll be more comfortable.”

SHAW’S TURNAROUND

After a rough start this season, Shaw has settled in. He’s given up just one hit in his six appearances, striking out seven.

“This is as good as we’ve seen him throw the ball,” Francona said.

UP NEXT

Royals: Chris Young (1-4) pitches the opener of a four-game series at the New York Yankees. Of the 19 runs Young has allowed, 13 have come on homers.

Indians: Corey Kluber (2-3), coming off a complete game shutout of Detroit, faces Houston’s Mike Fiers as Cleveland begins a three-game series with the Astros. Kluber is 4-1 with a 1.48 ERA in four starts against Houston.

— Associated Press —

CLEVELAND (AP) — Jose Ramirez has served as the Indians’ super utilityman this season.

On Friday night he played a lead role in Cleveland’s fourth straight win, a 7-1 victory over the reeling Kansas City Royals.

Ramirez got three hits and drove in a career-high five runs as the Indians sent the World Series champion Royals to their eighth loss in 10 games.

Indians manager Terry Francona went into the season with the idea of finding as much playing time off the bench as possible for Ramirez. The switch-hitter made his seventh start at third base and has started nine times in left field.

“It’s worked out kind of like we mapped it out,” Francona said. “You want to find places for him to play so he can help you win.”

Ramirez, who batted ninth Friday, has hit in seven different spots in the lineup. He delivered a bases-loaded double in the third and a two-run double in the fifth. He singled in the second, walked in the eighth and raised his batting average to .324.

Ramirez, with winning pitcher Danny Salazar serving as a translator, said, “I feel like every time I go to home plate I have a purpose. I’m grateful to Tito for believing in me and giving me the opportunity.”

Salazar (3-2) held the Royals to four hits and struck out nine in 7 2/3 innings.

Yordano Ventura (2-2) allowed five runs and threw 97 pitches in four innings. The right-hander walked five, increasing his AL-leading total to 25.

Salazar faced the minimum until walking Alex Gordon with one out in the fifth. Lorenzo Cain, the game’s second batter, beat out a ground ball up the middle, but was caught off first by Salazar’s throw with Kendrys Morales batting to end the inning.

Salazar gave credit to catcher Yan Gomes for calling for the throw to first that caught Cain breaking off the bag.

“That was great,” he said. “I wasn’t even paying attention to that. I tried to do a quick move to first base and we got him.”

Salazar gave up two singles in the sixth and another in the seventh.

“Everything was working,” he said. “I was getting ahead in the count with the first pitch and I was coming in with the next one for a strike.”

Ventura labored through the first inning when he threw 32 pitches, but only gave up one run on Mike Napoli’s groundout.

Napoli’s single gave Cleveland a 2-0 lead in third.

Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor turned another highlight reel play in the second. He ranged behind second and fielded Salvador Perez’s grounder, got to his feet and made a strong throw to first.

Gordon’s ninth-inning single produced the Royals’ only run. The Royals have been shut out four times and scored 21 runs in their last 10 games.

“Energy dropped down a little bit tonight, but I fully expect them to come back tomorrow full of energy and ready to go,” Kansas City manager Ned Yost said.

Kansas City third baseman Mike Moustakas was scratched from the lineup because of a sore left thumb. Moustakas was in the original lineup, but was removed about two hours before the first pitch.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Moustakas injured his thumb on the team’s last road trip. He wasn’t in the lineup for two games against Washington on Kansas City’s last homestand.

Indians: RHP Carlos Carrasco (strained left hamstring) is jogging and playing catch. He was injured covering first base April 24.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy faces the Indians for the first time since June 27, 2011, when he was pitching for Arizona. He broke a two-game losing streak in his last start, allowing one run in five innings against Seattle.

Indians: RHP Cody Anderson will be recalled from Triple-A Columbus to start against the Royals. He was sent down on April 27 after going 0-1 with a 7.65 ERA in four starts.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Stephen Strasburg likes to time his journey from the bullpen to the dugout before a game to minimize the time he has to sit on the bench before getting in the game.

He had to wait what seemed like an eternity Wednesday.

The Nationals scored six times off Kris Medlen in the first inning, taking advantage of three errors and a slew of hits before Strasburg ever got on the mound. Washington proceeded to rout Kansas City 13-2 and take the rubber-game of their three-game interleague set.

“It might sound strange but it made it a little more difficult,” said Strasburg, who allowed two runs and five hits over six tidy innings. “You have to trick your mind into thinking it’s a 0-0 game.”

Strasburg managed to do it, pushing his career-best start to 5-0.

Daniel Murphy finished a triple shy of the cycle, and slumping slugger Bryce Harper also went deep, as the Nationals pounded out 16 hits. Murphy and Clint Robinson drove in three runs apiece, and nearly everyone else in a gray jersey did something at the plate to help pace the rout.

Medlen (1-3) allowed nine runs, six of them earned, and six hits in two-plus innings for Kansas City. His home ERA rose to 20.65 in two starts at Kauffman Stadium this season.

“It just wasn’t Medlen’s day,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “He just couldn’t get it going and the defense didn’t help him. Three errors in the first inning didn’t help him. It was just a struggle.”

Things got so bad for the Royals that Eric Hosmer, their hottest hitter, got ejected for the first time in his six-year big league career. He struck out and took umbrage with plate umpire CB Bucknor, who gestured for him to head to the showers in the bottom of the sixth inning.

By that point, Hosmer was probably happy to oblige.

The Royals used every player on their bench, including catcher Salvador Perez, who had to take over for Hosmer at first base. They also used six pitchers with closer Wade Davis working the ninth.

The tone was set with the first two batters of the game — and it sounded a whole lot like nails on a chalkboard to the thousands of kids in the stands for “School Day at the K.”

Mike Moustakas allowed a hopper to get past him for a leadoff error, and Omar Infante bobbled an easy grounder for another one. The Nationals proceeded to string together four straight hits, three of them extra-bases, before Medlen finally record his first out on his 39th pitch.

“They helped us out in that first inning and that doesn’t happen very often,” Nationals manager Dusty Baker said. “They’re a very good defensive time.”

Washington added a sacrifice fly to take a 6-0 lead before Strasburg finally got to pitch.

He gave up a couple runs in the second, but the Nationals proceeded to score four more runs on five hits and a walk in the third inning. Medlen was lifted with the bases loaded and no outs, but reliever Danny Duffy did little to slow the Nationals’ offensive onslaught.

Murphy went deep in the fourth inning. Harper hit his 10th of the season in the fifth.

The only reason to pay much attention the rest of the game was Murphy, who had three legs of the cycle by the fourth inning. He added a single leading off the sixth to push his average to .402, but was part of the wholesale substitutions by both teams that kept him from getting another chance.

“Playing against him, you knew you were getting a professional at-bat every time,” Strasburg said. “His baseball IQ is just off the charts.”

STATS AND STREAKS

The Nationals were 8 for 15 with runners in scoring position. … Murphy matched a career high with his four hits. … Medlen has lost three straight for th e first time since July 2013 with Atlanta.

TRAINER’S ROOM

OF Ben Revere (right oblique strain) will join the Nationals in Chicago on Thursday and be evaluated before being activated. He played nine innings in centerfield for Triple-A Syracuse in his fifth rehab game on Tuesday. … Moustakas was back in the starting lineup after dealing with swelling in his thumb.

UP NEXT

Nationals RHP Joe Ross is on the mound to open a four-game series against the Cubs on Thursday night at Wrigley Field. The Royal take a day off before beginning a three-game set Friday night in Cleveland.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Lorenzo Cain capped a three-run ninth inning with a two-out single to left, bringing home Mike Moustakas and giving the Kansas City Royals a 7-6 victory over the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.

Tanner Roark lasted into the eighth inning for Washington, but he was relieved by Felipe Rivero with runners on the corners and one out. Eric Hosmer grounded into a fielder’s choice to make it 6-4.

Rivero got through the rest of the inning and turned the lead over to Jonathan Papelbon (1-1), who served up back-to-back singles to start the ninth. After Omar Infante struck out, Moustakas came on to pinch hit and guided a single through the left side to knot the game 6-all.

Alcides Escobar kept the line moving with a single to center, and Cain ripped a liner into the gap in left-center to keep the Royals from losing for the seventh time in eight games.

Chien-Ming Wang (1-0) earned the win with a scoreless ninth inning.

Anthony Rendon and Daniel Murphy hit early homers, and Jayson Werth hit one late for Washington. The Nationals coaxed across three runs in the sixth inning, giving them what looked like an insurmountable lead against the sluggish Kansas City offense.

Luke Hochevar allowed those three runs in his only inning of work, the reliever following another subpar outing by Chris Young. He lasted 4 2/3 innings to put a massive burden on his bullpen.

After falling behind on Rendon’s homer in the first, the Royals answered with three runs in the third inning. Escobar tied the game with his RBI single, and hot-hitting Hosmer’s two-out, two-run jab through the right side of the infield gave Kansas City a 3-1 lead.

Murphy went deep in the fourth inning before Washington continued its rally in the sixth, but the Royals hung around long enough to deliver their second walk-off win of the season.

The result? Two clubs on wildly different trajectories changed directions.

The Nationals began their 10-game road trip with a three-game sweep in St. Louis, and were an inning away from being perfect at the midway point. Meanwhile, the Royals (14-12) avoided dropping back to .500 after a hot start to the defense of their World Series championship.

NATIONALS VISIT HALL

Several members of the Nationals, including NL MVP Bryce Harper, spent the morning visiting the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Harper called it “an honor and pleasure” to visit the museum and its president, Bob Kendrick. The museum is a popular spot for visiting teams to spend time in Kansas City.

HARPER INKS WITH UA

Under Armour announced Tuesday that Harper had signed a multiyear extension with the company, likely one of the largest endorsement deals in the majors. Harper has endorsed the brand the last five years. His new line of baseball cleats, “Harper One,” will be available in July.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Moustakas got the night off from the field after aggravating a thumb injury in Seattle over the weekend. “It blew up in Seattle,” manager Ned Yost said. “It’s just a day-by-day thing. We’ll see how he feels tomorrow. Yesterday it was really swollen.”

UP NEXT

The series concludes Wednesday when Nationals RHP Stephen Strasburg, 4-0 for the first time in his career, takes on Royals RHP Kris Medlen. The afternoon game is “School Day at the K.”

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Gio Gonzalez and the Washington bullpen combined on a five-hitter, Ryan Zimmerman and Daniel Murphy drove in first-inning runs and the Nationals beat the Kansas City Royals 2-0 on Monday night.

Gonzalez (2-1) scattered four hits and a pair of walks over six innings in his latest smooth start. He’s only allowed four earned runs combined in his first five outings.

Sammy Solis needed eight pitches for a spotless seventh, and Shawn Kelley and Oliver Perez combined to strike out three straight after a leadoff double in the eighth.

Jonathan Papelbon breezed through a perfect ninth as the Nationals followed up a sweep of the Cardinals with their fourth straight win.

Edinson Volquez (3-2) needed 29 pitches just to navigate the decisive first inning for Kansas City. But he wound up giving his team a chance, allowing seven hits and a walk in 7 2/3 innings.

The loss was the sixth in seven games for the weak-hitting Royals. Three have been shutouts.

In the first inning, it looked as if the Nationals would continue the misery Volquez experienced his last time out against the Angels, when he allowed eight runs on a career-high 12 hits in five innings.

Michael Taylor worked a full-count, leadoff walk, and Anthony Rendon followed with a single. Zimmerman drove in the game’s first run with a double, and Murphy’s run-scoring groundout made it 2-0.

Volquez eventually settled down, retiring nine straight before Murphy’s single in the fourth. But by that point, Gonzalez was doing such a good job keeping the slumping Kansas City lineup off balance that even a two-run lead seemed insurmountable.

Gonzalez didn’t allow a single until the third, then watched catcher Jose Lobaton throw out Lorenzo Cain trying to steal to end the inning. Gonzalez allowed another single in the fifth before getting out of a two-on, one-out jam by inducing back-to-back fly balls to end the sixth.

Alcides Escobar brought some life to a crowd of 32,394 with his double off Kelley in the eighth, but the Washington reliever bounced back to strike out Cain. Perez set down Eric Hosmer and Kendrys Morales to end the inning, and Papelbon took care of the rest.

ROYAL (BLACK AND) BLUE

Kansas City outfielder Alex Gordon was plunked leading off the second inning. It was the 71st time that Gordon has been hit by a pitch, tying him with David DeJesus for third-most in club history.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals RHP Luke Hochevar was available out of the bullpen after getting a couple of days off to rest some minor tightness in his elbow. Hochevar has had Tommy John surgery in the past, so manager Ned Yost said he was being cautious with him. “He feels good,” Yost said.

UP NEXT

Royals RHP Chris Young and Nationals RHP Tanner Roark spent part of the 2013 season as teammates at Triple-A Syracuse in the Nationals organization. Young returned to the big leagues the following season with Seattle, and he has spent the past two seasons in Kansas City.

— Associated Press —

SEATTLE (AP) — Ian Kennedy felt like he only had one pitch working for him against the Seattle Mariners on Sunday. He was still able to take a shutout into the sixth inning, and get a big boost from his bullpen when he finally ran into trouble.

Kennedy had a three-run lead when he loaded the bases in the sixth inning on two singles and a walk. Reliever Danny Duffy came on to bail out the Royals, who went on to win 4-1 to end a five-game losing streak.

“Danny coming in with the bases loaded right there and coming at them with great stuff was huge right there,” Kansas City manager Ned Yost said. “We had a three-run lead and it was starting to get away from us.”

Eric Hosmer homered, Lorenzo Cain had an RBI single and scored a run, and Alex Escobar had three hits and also scored for the Royals, who had been shut out in the first two games of this series.

Kennedy (3-2) said his curveball and other off-speed pitches weren’t working against the Mariners, but he was still able to hold Seattle to four hits and struck out six in five-plus innings.

“At least I had a good fastball going,” Kennedy said. “Good location, good life on it. It was one of those days where I was trying to get by with the one good pitch I had.”

Kennedy loaded the bases in the sixth, Duffy struck out Dae-Ho Lee and Kyle Seager before Chris Iannetta hit a run-scoring single. However, Jarrod Dyson easily threw out Robinson Cano at home trying to score a second run.

“It was a big point in the game, would have been a big run with momentum and everything going in our favor, but they made a play,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said.

The Royals, who came in with seven straight road losses, extended their scoreless streak to 27 innings before ending the drought in the second. Alex Gordon started it when he was hit by a pitch. He advanced to third on a short hit by Salvador Perez, then scored on Omar Infante’s single.

Kansas City added a run in the third on Cain’s RBI single up the middle.

The Mariners’ defense helped out the Royals in the fifth. With two outs and Cain on second base, Seattle shortstop Ketel Marte fielded Hosmer’s grounder moving toward third. Marte’s throw to first was wild, allowing Cain to score.

Wade Davis pitched the ninth for his eighth save in eight chances.

Taijuan Walker (2-1) pitched five innings, his shortest outing this season, and allowed a season-high three runs and seven hits for Seattle. Walker had opened the season with four starts of at least six innings while allowing two or fewer runs, which tied a team record.

Hosmer capped the scoring with his fourth home run in the eighth.

“We knew we were going to have to find ways to scratch runs across the board, and we did a good job of that,” Hosmer said. “We had some things going on the bases today, we had some big hits.”

LINEUP SHUFFLE

Nori Aoki, Seattle’s usual leadoff hitter, was on the bench to start Sunday’s game. Mariners manager Scott Servais wanted to give 2B Cano some rest by slotting him at DH. With both Nelson Cruz and Seth Smith, who have split time at DH this year, in the outfield, Aoki was left out. Servais said Aoki, who has struggled at the plate so far this season, would remain the team’s usual leadoff hitter.

Aoki pinch-hit for 2B Luis Sardinas in the seventh inning and stayed in the game as the left fielder. Cano then moved from DH to 2B, taking the DH spot away for the Mariners.

TRAINING ROOM

Yost said reliever Luke Hochevar was not available for the game with soreness in his elbow. “As a precaution, we wanted to give him the day and we’ll see how he feels tomorrow,” Yost said.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Edinson Volquez (3-1, 3.64 ERA) opens the series against the Nationals on Monday, facing off against LHP Gio Gonzalez (1-1, 1.42 ERA).

Mariners: RHP Nate Karns (2-1, 3.63 ERA) goes in the series opener against Oakland on Monday. He will be opposed by RHP Kendall Graveman (1-2, 4.03).

— Associated Press —

SEATTLE (AP) — Wade Miley scattered five hits for his first career shutout and Kyle Seager hit a three-run homer to cap a four-run first inning off an ineffective Yordano Venture and pace the Seattle Mariners to a 6-0 victory over Kansas City on Saturday night, the Royals’ fifth consecutive loss on their current road trip.

Miley (2-2) struck out four and walked none for his second complete game in 139 starts. His only other complete game was last September with Boston in a 9-2 victory over Philadelphia, when he allowed two runs and five hits.

Seth Smith, whose homer accounted for the Mariners’ only hit in a 1-0 victory Friday night, homered in the first inning, a one-out solo shot, his fourth.

The Mariners capitalized on two walks in the first off Ventura (2-1), who allowed five runs, three hits with six walks in four-plus innings.

With two outs in the first, Ventura walked Nelson Cruz and Adam Lind, and Seager followed with his fifth homer to make it 4-0.

Miley benefited from a successful challenge in the third. Paulo Orlando was safe at second when shortstop Ketel Marte bobbled Alcides Escobar’s one-out infield chopper while trying for the force out. The call was overturned after review and Mike Moustakas followed with a ground-rule double to left-center, holding Escobar at third. Miley escaped by retiring Lorenzo Cain on a pop out to short.

Seattle took a page out of the Royals’ offensive play book and manufactured a run in the fourth. Seager walked to open the inning, Chris Iannetta singled and both runners advanced on Marte’s sacrifice bunt. Second baseman Omar Infante then attempted a difficult throw home on Leonys Martin’s chopper, but Seager slid in ahead of the tag.

The Mariners made it 6-0 in the sixth when Dillon Gee hit Cruz with a pitch with the bases loaded. Cruz was also hit by a pitch in the second inning and walked twice.

UP NEXT:

Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy (2-2, 2.77 ERA) allowed five runs and seven hits in a 6-1 loss to the Angels in his last start to open the current winless road trip. He was 0-2 with a 5.59 ERA in two starts last season against the Mariners when he was with San Diego.

Mariners: Seattle wraps up a six-game homestand before heading out for seven games on the road. RHP Taijuan Walker (2-0, 1.44 ERA) has allowed two or fewer runs and pitched at least six innings in each of his first four starts.

TRAINING ROOM:

Mariners: With relievers Joaquin Benoit (right shoulder inflammation) and Charlie Furbush (left shoulder tendinitis) both on the 15-day DL, RHP Nick Vincent has taken advantage of the opportunity. Vincent, acquired from San Diego right before the start of the season, retired Cain with the tying run on third in the eighth inning of Seattle’s 1-0 victory on Friday night. “Last night he did a great job. Coming in there, that was going to be his hitter. He attacked,” manager Scott Servais said. “He’s attacked every time he comes in. He goes right after them. He knows who he is and he executes.”

— Associated Press —

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Mike Trout hit a tying two-run homer, Yunel Escobar put the Angels ahead with a solo shot in the sixth inning and Andrelton Simmons also went deep to power Los Angeles to a 4-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night.

Escobar, the Angels’ leadoff hitter, drove Chris Young’s 3-1 pitch to center field for his third homer of the season leading off the sixth to put the Angels ahead 3-2. He had four hits in Tuesday night’s 9-4 victory.

Simmons ended the scoring in the seventh with his first homer as an Angel. His other 31 came with the Atlanta Braves, who sent the two-time Gold Glove shortstop to the Angels in a trade for Erick Aybar in November.

Fernando Salas (1-1) got the victory in relief and Joe Smith got three outs for his second save in as many chances as the Angels swept the three-game series.

Nick Tropeano pitched 5 1/3 innings for the Angels, allowing two runs and eight hits with six strikeouts.

Eric Hosmer hit a two-run homer off the 25-year-old right-hander in the first, extending his hitting streak to a career-best 17 games. Tropeano departed after giving up his third walk of the game with the score tied 2-all.

Salas came in and Paulo Orlando greeted him with a single. Jarrod Dyson followed with a fielder’s choice grounder that put runners at the corners, and Dyson got into scoring position by stealing second. But Alcides Escobar grounded out to third.

Young (1-4) allowed three runs and three hits over 5 2/3 innings. The 35-year-old right-hander has allowed at least one home run in each of his first five starts.

Tropeano, who came in having allowed two home runs in his first 75 1/3 innings in the big leagues, saw his first pitch to Hosmer end up in the rock pile in left-center following a one-out single by Mike Moustakas.

But Trout erased that deficit in the fourth with his fifth homer, driving an 0-2 pitch over the trees in center field after a leadoff single by Rafael Ortega. The 2014 AL MVP is hitting .353 over his last 14 games after starting the season 5 for 27.

SPIKE MARKS

Angels: Nine of Trout’s 37 career hits against Kansas City have been home runs. … The Angels have produced no more than four runs in 17 of the team’s first 21 games. . Tropeano picked off Dyson at first base with runners at the corners to end the fourth.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Angels: LHP Andrew Heaney, whose flexor muscle strain during his first start of the season is the reason Tropeano was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake on April 7, will look at other opinions on the slow-healing injury. . LF Daniel Nava will work out in Arizona during the team’s six-game road trip.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Kris Medlen (1-1, 6.00 ERA) gets the assignment for the opener of a three-game series at Seattle. It will be his first appearance against the Mariners, one of four teams the seven-year veteran has yet to face along with the Angels, Rangers and Braves, the club that drafted him in 2006.

Angels: LHP Hector Santiago (2-0) opposes Colby Lewis in the opener of a three-game set at Arlington, Texas. The Angels have won each of Santiago’s last 10 starts including his no-decision on April 7 at the “Big A,” when they pulled out a 4-3 win on Albert Pujols’ bases-loaded walkoff single in the ninth.

— Associated Press —

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Johnny Giavotella drove in three runs with his first homer of the season, Mike Trout and Carlos Perez had two-run singles, and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Kansas City Royals 9-4 Tuesday night.

Jered Weaver (3-0) allowed four runs and nine hits over six innings and struck out four. The Angels scored one more run than they totaled in the right-hander’s first three starts this season.

Edinson Volquez (3-1) gave up eight runs and 12 hits in in five innings. The right-hander, facing the Angels for the first time since 2007, was coming off a 4-0 win over Detroit in which he allowed five hits through seven innings.

Mike Moustakas homered and Jarrod Dyson hit a pair of RBI doubles for the defending World Series champions, who had six two-base hits altogether — all against Weaver. The franchise record is 11, set on Aug. 11, 2003 against the Yankees.

— Associated Press —

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Albert Pujols claims to pay little attention to his climb up baseball’s career homers list, often greeting his milestones with a dismissive shrug.

“I leave that to (reporters), so you guys can have something to do,” he said Monday night.

Even Pujols had to acknowledge his latest leap up the standings was impressive, particularly because it led to a win for the Los Angeles Angels.

Pujols hit two homers and Mike Trout added another, powering the Angels to a 6-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals.

With two solo shots off Ian Kennedy (2-2), Pujols racked up the 564th and 565th homers of his career. He moved out of a tie with Reggie Jackson and into sole possession of 13th place on baseball’s career list.

“To be able to even put my name with those legends in baseball before me is pretty special,” Pujols said. “I could have never thought in my entire life that I could do that. … I’ve done some crazy things in this game and passed some unbelievable names, but I try not to really stay focused on that. My focus is to help this organization to win a championship, and I think that’s why (Angels owner) Arte (Moreno) brought me here. He didn’t bring me here to try to pass all those guys.”

Pujols has shaken his dismal start to the season with three homers in two games. The $240 million slugger moved past Jackson with a drive to the fake rock pile beyond center field in the third, and his fifth-inning shot barely eluded a leaping Alex Gordon in left field.

“For us that have been in the game a long time, it means more, because you know the guys he’s passing,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “It’s fun to watch. Albert is special for a lot of reasons.”

Trout added a solo shot in the seventh, his fourth homer of the season.

Garrett Richards (1-3) pitched three-hit ball into the seventh inning of his first win of the season, leaving the Royals frustrated after repeatedly escaping self-created trouble, including five walks.

“(Richards) has got great stuff, but he was just wild enough to be really effective,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “We just couldn’t do much with him.”

The Angels have the AL’s worst offense in several categories, but they followed up a three-run first inning with the long ball. Los Angeles scored more than five runs for the second time in 20 games this season.

“I know that this offense, we’re just two or three hits away from clicking,” Pujols said. “It’s good to take the first game of the series against those guys. They’ve got our number over the last couple of years.”

Salvador Perez drove in Kansas City’s only run. Eric Hosmer extended his hitting streak to 15 games for the defending World Series champions, who opened a six-game West Coast trip with just their second loss in their last 12 meetings with the Angels, including the 2014 AL division series.

Kennedy is an Orange County native and former USC star who has never beaten the Angels. He yielded seven hits and four walks, allowing a baserunner in all six innings.

“Even though (Pujols) has been struggling this year, you can’t take him lightly,” Kennedy said. “If you fall behind like that against really good hitters like that, whether they’re struggling or not, they’re going to make you pay.”

MONSTER NUMBERS

Pujols had his 52nd career multihomer game and his 10th with the Angels. He has five homers this season, but his shot on Sunday ended an 0-for-26 skid for the three-time NL MVP. He is closing in on Rafael Palmeiro, who sits in 12th place in baseball history with 569 career homers.

G-RICH

Richards got off to a rough start to his first season as the Angels’ opening day starter, losing his head-to-head matchups with stars Jake Arrieta, Cole Hamels and Chris Sale. The Angels’ five runs in the first five innings against Kansas City equaled Richards’ total run support in his first four starts combined.

“I feel like everybody else is pitching well, and I’ve got to keep it going,” Richards said.

UP NEXT

Royals: Edinson Volquez (3-0, 1.46 ERA) has been one of the majors’ top starters so far, throwing seven scoreless innings last week against Detroit.

Angels: Jered Weaver (2-0, 3.12) looks to continue his solid start to the season while improving his 7-6 career record against Kansas City.

— Associated Press —