KANSAS CITY, Mo., April 1 (UPI) -- Kila Ka'aihue led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a home run Friday to give Kansas City a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.
Ka'aihue took a strike from Michael Kohn before sending a pitch at the knees over the right field fence. Ka'aihue had batted a mere .217 last season in 52 games.
The home run gave the victory to Jaokim Soria, the third Kansas City hurler who made just eight pitches in a perfect top of the ninth.
Howard Kendrick hit a home run for the Angels in the first inning, but they managed only five more hits the rest of the way.
Kansas City starter Jeff Francis allowed the lone run on five hits over seven innings. The Royals tied it in the fourth when Billy Butler reached on a one-out single, moved to second on a base hit by Ka'aihue, took third on a wild pitch from Dan Haren and came in on a groundout by Jeff Francoeur.
