Ka'aihue's HR Lifts Royals Past Angels

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Kila Ka'aihue hit Michael Kohn's second pitch of the ninth inning for a game-ending home run, lifting Kansas City to a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.

Kohn (0-1) relieved Jordan Walden to start the ninth and was ahead 0-1 in the count when Ka'aihue, who had struck out twice, slammed the ball 393 feet over the fence in right.

Joakim Soria (1-0) pitched the ninth for Kansas City.

The Royals tied it 1-all in the fourth on an infield out by Jeff Francis after Billy Butler singled and moved up on a hit and a wild pitch.

Howie Kendrick gave the Angels a 1-0 lead on the eighth pitch that starter Jeff Francis threw as a Royal, swatting the full-count delivery over the fence in center for a 418-foot home run.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)