Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) – Bobby Abreu hit a game-winning home run with one out in the 10th inning, leading the Los Angeles Angels to a 2-1 victory and a three-game sweep over the Kansas City Royals.
Abreu’s 14th home run of the season helped the Angels nab their fifth win in six games. Maicer Izturis added three hits, while Reggie Willits also scored a run in Los Angeles’ 16th win in its last 20 games against Kansas City.
Jered Weaver went eight innings, allowing just one run on six hits and two walks while fanning 11. It was the sixth straight quality start and third straight in which he’s given up one run or fewer. Brian Fuentes (4-1) earned the win for a scoreless inning.
Yuniesky Betancourt homered for the Royals, losers in four straight and six of seven. Zack Greinke matched Weaver inning for inning, lasting eight frames and yielding one run, six hits and a walk while striking out six.
Jesse Chavez (1-1) took the loss for giving up Abreu’s homer.
The Royals threatened in the second with runners on the corners with two outs, but Weaver struck out Brayan Pena swinging to keep Kansas City off the board.
The Angels took advantage of their first threat of the game, taking the lead in the third inning.
Jeff Mathis singled leading off, but was erased at second on Willits’ fielder’s choice groundout. Willits moved to third on a single from Bobby Abreu, and Erick Aybar’s sacrifice fly made it 1-0.
Weaver struck out five consecutive batters from the end of the fourth through the fifth, but Betancourt began the sixth inning with a home run to center, tying the game, 1-1.
Kansas City nearly went ahead in both the seventh and eighth, but came up short. Weaver allowed runners to reach the corners with one out in the seventh, but struck out Pena and induced a fly out from Betancourt. The Royals loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth, but Alex Gordon’s swinging bunt was fielded by Weaver, who tagged out Gordon running down the first base line.
The Angels put a runner in scoring position in the ninth, but Mathis struck out with a chance to win the game. Fuentes struck out two in a perfect 10th inning, needing only nine pitches, to set up Abreu’s dramatics.
The Angels won the 2010 season series, 7-3…Los Angeles recorded its first series sweep since June 11-13 against the Dodgers…The Royals finished 2-7 on a nine-game road trip, scoring just 17 runs in that stretch…The teams combined to finish 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position…With 11 strikeouts on Wednesday, Weaver set a new career-high, increasing his season total to a league-leading 182.