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 The center fielder hit a home run and threw out a runner in a
double play as the Angels defeated the Kansas City Royals 6-1 on
Friday night at Angel Stadium.
Trout, who finished 2-for-4, missed Wednesday night's game with a
tight left hamstring. It was the first time all season that the
American League's 2012 Rookie of the Year did not play.
With the Angels getting a day off Thursday, Trout had a two-day
break.
"The leg felt good today -- no pain or soreness," said Trout, who
added that not playing made him feel anxious.
"It was a little different sitting on the bench," he said. "But it
was definitely good to get a couple of days off. I feel 100 percent,
so it was definitely worth it."
Catcher Chris Iannetta also hit a home run as the Angels (27-20)
earned their third consecutive victory and their 11th in 14 games.
"I just know this team is not the finished product," Angels manager
Mike Scioscia said. "We're going to keep getting better."
 Left-hander C.J. Wilson (6-3) threw a season-low 105 pitches in his
6 1/3 innings. Wilson allowed one run, four hits and four walks, hit
two batters and struck out three.
Royals right fielder Nori Aoki went 3-for-4, hit a double, scored a
run and stole a base.
"You're not going to score many runs when you get five hits on the
night, and three of them from one guy," Royals manager Ned Yost
said. "There's nothing going on offensively."
Kansas City took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Aoki
scored on left fielder Alex Gordon's single. The Royals had a chance
to extend their lead by loading the bases, but Wilson struck out
center fielder Lorenzo Cain to minimize the damage.
"We smattered some good at-bats and we mixed in some not-so-good
at-bats," Yost said. "You do capitalize when you're going good. You
don't when you don't."
That inability to exploit opportunity proved costly in the second
inning.
Iannetta tied the score by hitting his fourth home run of the season
-- off right-hander Danny Duffy (2-4) into the rock formation behind
the center-field fence.
Iannetta's blast ended Duffy's major-league best streak of 67 2/3
consecutive innings without allowing a homer.
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Los Angeles shortstop Erick Aybar followed Iannetta's drive with a
single. Aybar moved to second base on left fielder Grant Green's
groundout and gave the Angels a 2-1 lead by coming home on right
fielder Collin Cowgill's single.
The Angels built a 3-1 lead in the third when Trout hit his ninth
homer of the season, a solo drive into the center-field rock
decoration.
Trout then displayed his throwing arm on a double play in the fifth.
Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer hit a fly ball that Trout caught
for the second out. Aoki tagged up from second base but Trout made a
perfect throw that third baseman David Freese caught on a line
before tagging Aoki to end the inning.
Los Angeles added two runs in the sixth. Designated hitter C.J. Cron
hit a double and came home on a single by Aybar, who in turn scored
on Green's double.
Cain took a home run away from Freese in the seventh with a leaping,
one-handed catch against the wall. But Cron followed with a single
that drove second baseman Howie Kendrick in with the Angels' sixth
run.
Duffy allowed five runs on nine hits -- including two home runs --
in six innings while walking two and striking out two.
NOTES: Attendance was 35,082. ... Kansas City recalled INF Jimmy
Paredes from Triple-A Omaha to replace 3B Mike Moustakas, whom the
Royals optioned Thursday. ... The five-game hitting streaks of
Royals DH Billy Butler and 3B Danny Valencia both came to an end.
... Los Angeles CF Mike Trout returned to the starting lineup. Trout
missed a game for the first time this season Wednesday night with a
tight left hamstring. ... The Angels activated LHP Sean Burnett from
the disabled list and sent OF Efren Navarro to Triple-A Salt Lake.
Burnett made his season debut by entering in the seventh inning. ...
Angels LHP C.J. Wilson began Friday night's game averaging 117.4
pitches a game, the most among major-league starters and the most
for any pitcher since 2000, according to Stats LLC. He threw 105 on
Friday.
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