“He comes ready to play whenever he’s in the lineup, whether that’s starting or just coming off the bench,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of Blanco, who is mostly used as a pinch runner, but has hit safely in five of his seven starts this season.
Vinnie Pasquantino also had a two-run homer in the third and drove in three runs for the Royals, who have won three of four. Pasquantino has nine RBIs in his last five games.
Maikel Garcia added three hits, including a two-run double in the sixth.
Wacha (2-4) — who went 0-4 in his previous five starts. — allowed only two hits in six innings before running into trouble in the seventh. The Angels loaded the bases as their first three hitters got aboard when Luis Guillorme and Cole Tucker drew bases-loaded walks to chase the right-hander.
“Those first six innings I felt like I was locked in, you know. Then, kind of lost it in the seventh,” said Wacha, who gave up three runs (two earned) on three hits and struck out six in six-plus innings. “I’m not going to let that affect how I feel coming out of there. The stuff was good and had a good mix.”
The Angels had runners at first and second with one out, but reliever Daniel Lynch IV made a great grab of Kevin Pillar’s grounder to start a double play and end the inning.
The Angels had five hits and are 4-12 at Angel Stadium, the worst home start in franchise history.
(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
Angels starter Reid Detmers (3-4) retired the first six Royals before running into trouble in the third. Hunter Renfroe drew a leadoff walk and Blanco followed by driving Detmers’ slider into the left-field bullpens. Later in the inning, Pasquantino’s two-run shot to right went 442 feet, the farthest he has hit in his three years in the majors.
Detmers allowed six runs and seven hits and struck out five in five innings. The left-hander has allowed at least four runs in four straight starts after giving up four runs (three earned) through his first four starts.
“Tonight, everything he landed they got to and he wasn’t landing very much. Tonight wasn’t his night,” manager Ron Washington said of Detmers. “When he did make a good pitch, they found a way to put it into play. We struck out 13 tonight and they still had 12 hits and put 10 runs on the board.”
Notes: Angels infielders Brandon Drury (left hamstring strain) and Luis Rengifo (viral infection) were placed on the 10-day injured list. The moves and the Angels’ lineup were not announced until eight minutes before first pitch.
Up next: Kansas City right-hander Alec Marsh (3-0, 2.70 ERA), who had a right elbow contusion, is expected to come off the 15-day injured list Friday. Right-hander Griffin Canning (1-4, 6.69 ERA) gets the call for the Angels.