Vinnie Pasquantino Powers Royals Past Angels 9-4: Kansas City Tops Los Angeles Behind Four-Hit Game from Bobby Witt Jr.

Friday, September 26th, 2025

Kansas City Royals Defeat Los Angeles Angels 9-4 With Explosive Ninth-Inning Rally

Vinnie Pasquantino powered the Kansas City Royals to a 9-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels, homering and driving in three runs. Bobby Witt Jr. was unstoppable at the plate, notching four hits, while the Royals broke the game open with a four-run rally in the ninth inning at Angel Stadium.

Pitching Performances Shine

Royals starter Michael Lorenzen (7-11) delivered a strong outing, surrendering only two earned runs over 5 2/3 innings. Lorenzen struck out a season-high nine batters without issuing a walk, limiting the Angels to just five hits during his stint.

On the other side, Angels starter Mitch Farris (1-3) was tagged for four earned runs and five hits across five innings, striking out five and walking two. The loss adds to the Angels’ recent struggles, as they have now dropped 11 of their last 13 games.

Home Run Action

The teams traded homers early, with Pasquantino launching his team-best 32nd home run in the first inning, a two-run shot that gave him 110 RBIs on the season. Jo Adell countered for the Angels, hitting his club-leading 37th homer in the second. Nolan Schanuel and Mike Trout also left the yard for Los Angeles, with Trout’s two-run blast in the eighth marking the 401st home run of his career and tightening Kansas City’s lead to 5-4.

Royals Pull Away in the Ninth

Kansas City’s clinching rally came with two outs in the ninth inning. Salvador Perez delivered the decisive blow, lining a three-run double off reliever Sam Bachman with the bases loaded. This capped a four-run frame that put the game out of reach for the Angels.

Other Key Moments

Pasquantino drove in a run on a fielder’s choice in the third inning and Witt added an RBI double in the fifth, extending the Royals' lead to 5-1. Adam Frazier came off the bench to contribute a pinch-hit RBI single, further padding Kansas City’s advantage.

Angels’ Record-Approaching Strikeouts

The Angels’ offense struggled with strikeouts, fanning 13 times in the loss. This brings their season total to 1,603, tying for the fourth-most in a single season in MLB history. With three games remaining, the team is within 51 strikeouts of tying the all-time mark set by the Minnesota Twins in 2023.

Looking Ahead

The Angels are set to send Kyle Hendricks (8-10, 4.79 ERA) to the mound against the Astros’ Jason Alexander (4-2, 4.83 ERA) on Friday. The Royals' Noah Cameron (9-7, 2.90 ERA) will take on Athletics right-hander Luis Morales (4-2, 3.07 ERA) as Kansas City continues its road trip.

In summary

The Kansas City Royals emerged victorious against the Los Angeles Angels, 9-4, thanks to standout performances from Vinnie Pasquantino and Bobby Witt Jr., as well as a game-sealing ninth-inning rally. The Angels’ struggles at the plate continued, pushing their strikeout total close to a historic MLB record. Both teams now look to rebound in their upcoming matchups as the regular season winds down.

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