By MATT PIKE
Bobby Witt Jr. and Adam Frazier each drove in two runs, Salvador Perez moved into second place on Kansas City's career RBI list and the Royals beat the Los Angeles Angels 8-4 on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, shortly after being eliminated from postseason contention.
The Royals were knocked out of the race for an AL wild card with five games remaining in their regular season. Kansas City, which reached the playoffs last season, has failed to qualify for the postseason in nine of the last 10 seasons.
Perez singled to center in the first inning to score Witt. It was the 35-year-old catcher's 97th RBI of the season and 1,013th of his career, moving him past Hal McRae. The Royals' all-time RBI leader is George Brett with 1,596.
Vinnie Pasquantino extended the Royals lead in the fifth inning with a double, scoring Maikel Garcia. After Bryce Teodosio hit his first career homer for the Angels in the fifth inning, Kansas City added more runs to their lead in the seventh inning as Frazier doubled home Randal Grichuk and Mike Yastrzemski.
In the eighth inning, Garcia singled home Carter Jensen and Witt Jr doubled to drive in both Garcia and John Rave for the final runs for the Royals. Taylor Ward added his 35th homer, a career high, in the ninth inning for Los Angeles, which has lost 10 of its last 11 games.
Royals starter Cole Ragans (3-3) allowed two runs on three hits and struck out 10 over five innings in his second start since returning from the injured list with a left rotator cuff strain. Garcia went 3 for 4 with two doubles. It was Garcia's second career game with three hits and three runs scored, and his 11th three-hit game of the season.
Kansas City and Los Angeles play the middle game of their three game series on Wednesday. Stephen Kolek (5-6, 3.54 ERA) takes the mound for the Royals and faces Yusei Kikuchi (6-11, 4.05) on the mound for the Angels. First pitch is at 8:38pm, with pregame coverage beginning at 8 on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM) on Wednesday night.
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