KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Albert Pujols drove in four runs, Hector Santiago won his fifth consecutive start and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Kansas City Royals 6-2 on Monday night.
Pujols drove in two with a bases-loaded single during a four-run first, then added RBI singles in the seventh and ninth innings. He leads the majors with 26 RBIs in July, including 16 in his past eight games.
The Angels batted around in the first, which also included Daniel Nava’s sacrifice fly and Carlos Perez’s RBI infield single with two outs.
Santiago (9-4) is 5-0 with a 1.48 ERA in July. He held the Royals to two runs on five hits with four walks and five strikeouts.
Salvador Perez hit a two-run homer in the fourth for the only Royals runs. It was the sixth straight game the Royals have scored four or fewer runs.
The Royals loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth but failed to score when Santiago struck out Kendrys Morales on three pitches.
Ian Kennedy (6-9), who did not give up a home run for the first time in 10 starts, is 0-3 in five starts since a victory June 26. He allowed four runs on six hits, three walks and a hit batter in five-plus innings.
The Royals did not have a baserunner off four relievers. Cam Bedrosian struck out Eric Hosmer, Morales and Perez on 13 pitches in the eighth inning. Bedrosian has not permitted a run in his past 22 games, covering 20 2/3 innings.
The Royals have lost 14 of 20 July games to fall two games below .500.
With the Yankees dealing closer Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs, several contending clubs have reportedly talked to the Royals about the availability of Wade Davis, who has 21 saves in 23 chances with a 1.10 ERA. Davis is under contract through the 2017 season.
“I wouldn’t classify or characterize any player as untouchable,” Royals manager Dayton Moore said Monday. “I never have. We always evaluate somebody’s level of interest and what their level of interest may mean to the improvement of our team as far as players that they would be willing to part with. That’s what you do. That’s what we continually do especially this time of year.
“Whether we make a move or not, we are evaluating the landscape.”
YANKEES 2, ASTROS 1 Austin Romine hit a tiebreaking double in the eighth inning to make a winner of Michael Pineda, and the New York Yankees’ bullpen did just fine without star closer Aroldis Chapman in a victory over the Houston Astros. Hours after New York traded Chapman to the Chicago Cubs, All-Star relievers Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller closed out the Astros to help the fourth-place Yankees (51-48) move three games above .500 for the first time this season.
RANGERS 7, ATHLETICS Adrian Beltre hit his second home run of the game with two outs in the ninth inning, a two-run shot that rallied the Texas Rangers past the Oakland Athletics for their third straight win. Beltre, who finished with four hits, had two singles in his first three at-bats before hitting a solo homer in the seventh. His game-winning drive came on the first pitch from Ryan Madson (3-4).
TIGERS 4, RED SOX 2 Jose Iglesias hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning, Justin Verlander pitched six solid innings and the Detroit Tigers beat the Red Sox to spoil Drew Pomeranz’s second start with Boston. Victor Martinez and James McCann also drove in runs for the Tigers. Detroit pulled within 5 1/2 games of idle AL Central-leading Cleveland.
INTERLEAGUE
ORIOLES 3, ROCKIES 2, 10 INNINGS Adam Jones scored the winning run in the 10th inning on a low throw to the plate by pitcher Jordan Lyles, and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Colorado Rockies for their fifth straight victory. Jones reached on a one-out single off the thirdbase bag and took third on a single by Jonathan Schoop. Manny Machado followed with a comebacker to Lyles, who fumbled the ball before throwing home. Catcher Nick Hundley caught the ball near the ground and lost the handle while attempting to tag the sliding Jones.
BLUE JAYS 4, PADRES 2 Aaron Sanchez pitched seven shutout innings to win his 10th consecutive decision, Kevin Pillar had three hits and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the San Diego Padres. Sanchez (11-1) became the first Blue Jays pitcher to win 10 straight since Roy Halladay won 15 decisions in a row in 2003. Halladay and Roger Clemens (1998) hold the club record. WHITE SOX 5, CUBS 4 Tyler Saladino hit a game-ending RBI single, and the Chicago White Sox put a damper on the Chicago Cubs’ trade for Aroldis Chapman with a victory. J.B. Shuck sparked the winning rally with a leadoff single against Mike Montgomery (3-5), who was acquired in a deal with Seattle last week. Shuck advanced on Dioner Navarro’s sacrifice and Saladino followed with a bouncer into center field.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
PHILLIES 4, MARLINS 0 Jeremy Hellickson dominated the Marlins for a second straight start, throwing six innings of one-hit ball to help the Philadelphia Phillies beat Miami. Tommy Joseph hit a two-out RBI double in the top of the eighth to break a scoreless tie, and David Hernandez (2-3) pitched an inning in relief to earn the victory as four Phillies pitchers combined on a two-hit shutout.
BREWERS 7, DIAMONDBACKS 2 Martin Maldonado hit a three-run homer and the Milwaukee Brewers went deep four times, spoiling the major league debut of Arizona pitching prospect Braden Shipley in a victory over the Diamondbacks. Scooter Gennett, Jonathan Villar and pinch-hitter Andy Wilkins also connected for the Brewers in the opener of a four-game series. Chase Anderson went five innings to beat his former team for his first win since June 8.