Angels’ Ervin Santana gets in practice in loss to Royals
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Ervin Santana was unable to make it through two innings in his spring training debut Thursday, struggling with his control in the Angels’ 8-2 loss to the Kansas City Royals.
Santana gave up a walk, two hits and a pair of runs while getting only four outs.
‘I practiced a lot of things,’ Santana said. ‘I just have to, in my bullpen sessions, try to keep practicing and make it better for the games.’
The right-hander said he tired out his new split-finger fastball just once, throwing a wild pitch.
‘It’s getting better,’ he said. ‘I throwing it in bullpens. So you have to keep practicing.’
The Angels erased their 2-0 deficit on Mark Trumbo’s second home run of the spring -- a two-out, two-run shot off Royals’ starter Kyle Davies in the second. But it was all Kansas City after that.
Designated hitter Mitch Maier led the way, going 4 for 4 with a walk, two runs scored, two stolen bases and a pair of RBIs. First baseman Kila Ka’aihue added a pair of hits and an RBI while nonroster infielder Jamie Romak had a two-run homer in an 11-hit Royals attack.
The Angels got two-hit games from Howie Kendrick and Torii Hunter while Peter Bourjos drew a pair of walks. On the mound, Fernando Rodney allowed a single and two walks in his only inning of work, loading the bases before escaping the jam on a groundout to end the inning.
-- Kevin Baxter, reporting from Tempe, Ariz.