Shohei Ohtani hit his major league-leading 24th home run Sunday, leading the Los Angeles Angels to a series-clinching 5-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals.
Ohtani's two-run blast to right-center at Kauffman Stadium gave the Angels a 3-2 lead, followed by Mike Trout with his 15th homer on the next pitch in the fifth inning, both off veteran right-hander Zack Greinke (1-7).
The two-way star and 2021 American League MVP connected on a 3-2 curveball for his sixth home run in seven games.
The Angels ended a seven-game road trip with a 5-2 record and moved up to second place in the AL West standings behind the Texas Rangers.
"(The home run came) in a good situation, which I'm happy about," Ohtani said. "It was one out and a runner on second, so I was hoping that I could get on base. I ended with a homer, and it was great to have good contact."
Ohtani also extended his hitting streak to 15 games in a 1-for-4 afternoon.
Trout, a three-time MVP, emphasized that the Angels' recent run has been a team effort, saying, "It isn't just one guy. Obviously, what Shohei has been doing the past two weeks is unbelievable, but we have guys stepping up. It's fun to be a part of."
On the pitching front, Tyler Anderson (4-1) allowed two runs over five innings before Jaime Barria worked three scoreless innings.
Related coverage:
Baseball: Shohei Ohtani slugs MLB-leading 23rd homer, 150th of Angels career
Baseball: Shohei Ohtani extends hit streak to 13 as Angels blank Royals
Baseball: Canadian educator wants the world to learn from Shohei Ohtani
