By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Taylor Ward, Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani hit consecutive homers in the sixth inning, and the Los Angeles Angels hung on for a 4-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.
Trout also had two doubles for the Angels, who managed only one hit in the first five innings against Jordan Lyles (0-4) before the heart of their order unloaded on the Kansas City starter during a nine-pitch span.
Ward's drive into the short left-field porch was followed by Trout's fifth homer of the year and Ohtani's 415-foot blast to center for his own fifth homer. Los Angeles hadn't hit back-to-back-to-back homers since June 8, 2019.
Ward scored two runs in the Angels' second victory in five games.
MJ Melendez, Vinnie Pasquantino and Bobby Witt Jr. connected for the Royals, who opened their 10-game trip by losing two of three in Anaheim. Kansas City has lost eight of nine and 11 of 13.
Reid Detmers yielded seven hits while pitching into the sixth for the Angels. Austin Warren (1-0) gave up Witt's homer in the seventh during his second appearance of the season, and Carlos Estévez got his third save with a six-pitch ninth inning.
Lyles yielded four hits over six innings with five strikeouts.
Melendez homered in the first, but Ward scored on Ohtani's flyout later in the inning after advancing on Trout's double.
Pasquantino delivered his fourth homer with one out in the sixth, but Ward tied it again on the first pitch of the Angels' half of the inning. Trout then secured the Angels' first back-to-back homers since April 2 with an 0-2 drive to right, and Ohtani homered to center five pitches later.
TIN CAP
Three homers gave the Royals ample opportunity to use an apparently new home run helmet — a silver chapeau resembling a medieval knight's headgear that they placed on the home-run hitter's head upon his return to the dugout.
The Angels are pioneers in this field, trading in last year's home-run cowboy hat this spring for a large samurai helmet suggested by Ohtani.
FAST FREDDY
Freddy Fermín got his first major league hit with a single in the third for Kansas City. The 27-year-old Venezuelan catcher is batting .293 at Triple-A Omaha, and he got a chance in the majors this weekend with Franmil Reyes on the paternity list.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Royals: Melendez left in the fourth inning with lower back tightness. Hunter Dozier replaced him in right field.
Angels: Promising rookie C Logan O'Hoppe will be sidelined for four to six months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. O'Hoppe was off to an outstanding start after seizing the Halos' starting job behind the plate out of spring training, but he injured himself last week.
UP NEXT
Royals: Brad Keller (2-2, 3.00 ERA) takes the mound when Kansas City continues its road trip in Arizona on Monday.
Angels: José Suarez (0-1, 9.26 ERA) has a golden opportunity to get his disappointing season on track when the struggling Oakland Athletics open a four-game series at the Big A on Monday.