Tony Graffanino gave the Royals the best performance of his 10-year major league career, but it wasn’t enough in a 7-6 loss to the Angels. Graffanino, who was filling in at short stop went 5-for-5 for and drove in three runs on Sunday. Graffanino drove in Terrence Long in the second inning with a single to give Kansas City a 1-0 lead. The Angels took a 4-1 lead with one swing of the bat and a Royals miscue in the third inning when Steve Finley tripled with the bases loaded and scored on Matt Stairs’ throwing error. Royals’ third baseman Mark Teahen made the score 4-2 when he launched a solo home run in the top of the fifth. It was his second home run of the season. In the bottom half of the inning Los Angeles regained their three-run advantage and added two more when Jose Molina belted a three-run double to make it 7-2. It remained a five-run game until the eighth inning when Teahen struck with a two-out, two-run double to make the score 7-4. Kansas City had a golden opportunity to tie or possibly take the lead in the ninth after David DeJesus and Mike Sweeney reached with singles. Matt Stairs struck out on a called third strike for the first out of the game. Emil Brown came to the plate and walked. During that at-bat, DeJesus and Sweeney advanced on a wild pitch.With the bases loaded, Matt Diaz grounded to the pitcher and DeJesus was out at home. Graffanino kept Kansas City hopes alive with a two-run single, but Ruben Gotay stuck out looking for the final out of the game.The Royals have lost six games in a row.
