Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - Will Smith teamed with Garrett Richards, Mark
Trumbo and Mike Trout during his minor league days with the Angels before
being traded to the Royals.
Tuesday night marked the best start of Smith's young major league career, as
the left-hander pitched seven innings in Kansas City's 4-1 win against his
former organization.
A seventh-round draft pick by the Angels in 2008, Smith, 23, was dealt to the
Royals on July 22, 2010. Tuesday night marked the left-hander's fifth major
league start and the first time facing the Angels, also with Richards as the
opposing pitcher.
Smith (2-3), who allowed a pair of hits, a run and four walks, also had four
strikeouts.
Lorenzo Cain belted a two-run homer in the first inning, and Kansas City won
for just the third time in its last 10 games.
Richards (3-2) was charged with five hits and four runs over five innings.
Angels center fielder Mike Trout went 0-for-3 with a walk and saw a pair of
streaks snapped. He had a hit in 12 straight contests and scored a run in 15
consecutive games to tie the MLB rookie record set by Roy Hartsfield with the
Boston Braves in 1950.
Alex Gordon doubled to lead off the contest, and with one out Cain belted a
ball over the wall in left field.
Trumbo singled in a run in the bottom of the first, but Howie Kendrick killed
a rally by grounding into a double play.
KC went ahead for good the following inning, but only after third baseman
Alberto Callaspo, who was involved in the Smith trade, made a great stop to
take away an extra-base hit from Jeff Francoeur.
Eric Hosmer walked and Chris Getz singled, leading to Gordon's bloop RBI base
hit to left. A fielder's choice grounder by Alcides Escobar plated another
run.
Smith took over from there and didn't allow a hit the rest of the way. He
retired 11 in a row until walking Kendrick to start the seventh, but Kendrys
Morales promptly grounded into a double play.
Smith was removed after throwing 102 pitches and was replaced by Greg Holland
to start the eighth.
Jonathan Broxton tossed the ninth for his 23rd save of the year, but had to
escape trouble. With runners on first and second, Callaspo grounded out to
first to end the game.
Game Notes
Gordon had three of Kansas City's nine hits...Angels right fielder Torii
Hunter received medical attention in the sixth inning after diving for what
turned out to be a triple for Hosmer. Hunter remained in the game...The
Royals, who are 3-2 against the Angels this season, have captured 10 of the
last 14 in this series...The three-game series concludes Wednesday afternoon
with Luke Hochevar to pitch for the Royals and Jered Weaver for the Angels.
Weaver is 7-0 over his last nine starts and hasn't lost since May 13 at Texas.
The Sports Network