--RHP Aaron Crow will be the Royals' new closer, manager Ned Yost said. Crow, a rookie from Topeka Washburn Rural High who went to Missouri, is 2-0 with a 1.33 ERA in 22 relief appearances, allowing 19 hits and striking out 26 in 27 innings.

--RHP Luke Hochevar had his shortest outing of the season, giving up four runs on seven hits, three walks and a hit batter, while striking out two in five innings Monday in a no-decision against the Angels. Hochevar left with a 6-4 lead that the bullpen failed to hold. His pitch count got high quickly, as he threw 105 pitches to 24 batters.

--1B Eric Hosmer matched his career high with four RBI, hitting a two-run home run and a two-run double in the 10-8 loss to the Angels on Monday. He also had four RBI on Friday at Texas.

--LF Alex Gordon led off the game Monday with a home run off Angels RHP Ervin Santana. It was the 74th lead-off home run in Royals' history and Gordon's first. OF David DeJesus, who was traded to the Athletics during the offseason, had the previous leadoff home run by a Royal on April 28, 2010, against the Mariners at Kauffman Stadium. It was the fifth time the Royals had led off a game against the Angels with a home run. DeJesus, also, had that one on Aug. 25, 2004.

--3B Wilson Betemit went 2-for-5 with a run-producing triple to extend his hitting streak to six games. He is hitting .333, 9-for-27, during the streak.

BY THE NUMBERS
8.71 -- RHP Joakim Soria's earned run average in May.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"It's the right time to do it. I give my 100 percent every time, but it's not as good as we want." -- Royals RHP Joakim Soria, on being removed from his closer's role.

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