OC Register: Matt Harvey pitches seven innings to lead Angels to victory over Royals

[AngelsWin.com]

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  Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout slides into third base during the third inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, April 28, 2019. Trout was safe at third with a stolen base. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

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  Kansas City Royals’ Alex Gordon slides into third base during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, April 28, 2019. Gordon advanced to third base on a sacrifice fly by teammate Ryan O’Hearn. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

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  Los Angeles Angels’ Andrelton Simmons, left,is tagged out by Kansas City Royals’ Kelvin Gutierrez (47) during the third inning of a baseball game at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, April 28, 2019. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

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  Angels starting pitcher Matt Harvey delivers to a Kansas City Royals batter during the first inning of a game at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, April 28, 2019. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

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  Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Homer Bailey delivers to a Los Angeles Angels batter during the first inning of a baseball game at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, April 28, 2019. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

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  Los Angeles Angels’ Albert Pujols hits a two-run double off Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Homer Bailey during the first inning of a baseball game at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, April 28, 2019. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Matt Harvey may have turned the corner.

Harvey tossed seven strong innings in the Angels’ 7-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday, his second consecutive quality start after a rough three-start stretch.

Harvey gave up one run on one hit on his way to the first seven-inning outing for an Angels starter this season.

A free agent acquisition, Harvey had not begun his Angels career in encouraging fashion. After a strong debut outing, he allowed 19 runs in 12-2/3 innings in his next three starts.

But last week against the New York Yankees, Harvey gave up just two runs in six innings. He wasn’t sharp initially, but still weaved his way out of trouble — which he hadn’t been able to do during the previous three starts — and seemed to figure something out toward the end of his outing.

In his final inning against the Yankees, Harvey decided to worry less about mechanics and just focus on competing. He pitched a perfect inning, which Manager Brad Ausmus said was his best inning of the season.

He picked up where he left off on Sunday afternoon.

Staked to a three-run lead before he threw his first pitch, Harvey breezed through the Royals lineup. He allowed an Alex Gordon double in the first and then no other hits until the seventh.

He walked one in the third. In the fourth, he struck out Gordon, who reached first when the ball got past catcher Jonathan Lucroy. That led to the Royals only run against Harvey. Gordon went to second on a walk and then came around on two fly balls.

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After Harvey finished the seventh, the Angels closed it out with an inning apiece from Ty Buttrey and Hansel Robles.

Thanks to the pitching, the Angels didn’t need any more runs than the three they scored in the first inning.

Mike Trout, Brian Goodwin and Andrelton Simmons had three consecutive singles to load the bases, and then Albert Pujols drove in two with a double. Pujols now has 1,997 RBIs, passing Barry Bonds to move into third on the all-time list, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, which counts only RBIs since the stat became official in 1920.

The Royals had cut the lead to 4-2 in the eighth, but Justin Bour provided some insurance with a three-run homer in the top of the ninth. Bour had just been dropped to the No. 8 spot because of his recent struggles.

More to come on this story.

wren-HE-foe pic.twitter.com/YmNfvKbZPC

— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) April 28, 2019

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[Vegas Halo Fan]

Still waiting for the Justin Bour highlight.

[totdprods]

Harvey’s last three starts - 17.1 IP, .167 BAA, 3.63 ERA, but the 6 BB and 10 K is a little ‘eh’.

Still, signs of life.

[T.G.]

I am cautiously optimistic...