<\/p>\n
Ryan Bergert has been simply stellar during his early tenure with the Kansas City Royals.<\/p>\n
The rookie aims to continue his surprise success and try to help host the Royals even this series against the Los Angeles Angels, who can win their first road series in more than a month on Wednesday night.<\/p>\n
Bergert (2-1, 2.67 ERA), who made his major league debut April 26 with San Diego, likely wasn\u2019t expected to be a factor for the Royals (70-68) when he was part of the deadline trade that sent backup catcher Freddy Fermin to the Padres. However, due to injuries within the Royals rotation, Bergert has been a pleasant surprise, going 1-1 with a 2.54 ERA with a 1.02 WHIP in five starts.<\/p>\n
The right-hander recorded his first Royals victory and career quality start in his most recent appearance on Aug. 27 against the host Chicago White Sox. Bergert allowed a fourth-inning homer, five other hits and two walks over six innings of a 12-1 rout.<\/p>\n
Kansas City totaled 16 runs while going 1-3 in his first four starts.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s been pitching amazing for us,\u201d star teammate Bobby Witt Jr. told the Royals\u2019 official website. \u201cBeing able to put some runs on the board for him \u2026 (that) was what we needed to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bergert will be making his initial appearance against the Angels, who rode five solid innings from Mitch Farris in his major league debut and Jo Adell\u2019s 454-foot, team-leading and career-high 32nd home run to win Tuesday\u2019s opener 5-1. <\/p>\n
Trying to reach wild-card position in the AL, Kansas City is 1-3 on a nine-game homestand and has lost six of 10 overall.<\/p>\n
Bergert will try to contain Adell, was a triple shy of a cycle on Tuesday and is batting .357 with seven home runs and 14 RBIs in his last 15 games.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just have to keep emphasizing what we are trying to do,\u201d interim Angels manager Ray Montgomery said. \u201cWe\u2019re built on the home run, but that doesn\u2019t mean you play solely that way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Los Angeles (65-73) was able to add on, notably with Bryce Teodosio\u2019s sacrifice fly, Tuesday to improve to 4-4 on a 10-game trip. The Angels\u2019 last winning road series came July 18-20 at Philadelphia.<\/p>\n
However, Angels star Mike Trout, scratched from Tuesday\u2019s original starting lineup due to a skin infection, may not be available on Wednesday. It is possible teammate Taylor Ward, who has set career highs with 30 home runs and 94 RBIs this season, will be back in the lineup after missing two games following that scary crash into the metal outfield scoreboard at Houston on Sunday.<\/p>\n
According to MLB.com, the Angels will call up Caden Dana (0-0, 7.50 ERA) from Triple-A Salt Lake to fill a hole within their banged-up rotation. This will be the rookie\u2019s first start of 2025, and third appearance this season, but first since May 24.<\/p>\n
In five career outings \u2014 three starts \u2014 since debuting last season, the right-hander has yielded 17 runs, 21 hits \u2014 including seven homers \u2014 and 12 walks with 14 strikeouts over 16 1\/3 innings. He has never faced Kansas City.<\/p>\n
Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. tripled for one of his team\u2019s four hits on Tuesday, and also made a highlight-reel diving defensive snag at shortstop on Zach Neto\u2019s bouncer in the third inning. Witt is batting .372 with three homers, four doubles, and 11 RBIs and 18 runs in the last 20 games.<\/p>\n
\u2013Field Level Media<\/p>\n