Angels Have Run of Place

Garret Anderson shrugged, unwilling to read much into the Angels’ 14-1 rout of the Kansas City Royals on Saturday and their second successive slump-busting performance at Angel Stadium.

He barely cracked a smile after the Angels reached season highs in runs and in hits, with 16, and after he became the first Angel this season to drive home five runs in a game.

He knows it’s too early to be too satisfied with anything, even though the Angels might feel giddy after scoring 23 runs in their last two games, reaching a season-high nine games above .500 and moving a half-game ahead of the rained-out Texas Rangers atop the American League West.

“We did things we knew we could do and just weren’t doing them. There’s no particular reason why,” said Anderson, who hit a two-run home run to spark a six-run fourth inning and cleared the bases in the fifth with a double down the right-field line.

“It’s a long season. There’s a long way to go. ... One night is not going to make me feel better. This is over with.”

But it’s hardly worth dismissing. Playing before a lively sellout crowd -- an announced 43,929, which lifted the Angels past the 1 million mark in attendance in their 25th home date and matched their pace of last season -- they rocked Royal starter Ryan Jensen (1-1) by scoring three times in the third and sending 11 men to the plate in the fourth.

Chone Figgins and Steve Finley each drove in three runs, rookie Dallas McPherson homered for the third straight game and starter Kelvim Escobar (2-2) persevered through five innings, finishing with a 93-mph fastball that augured well for his ability to withstand the elbow woes that have twice put him on the disabled list this season and are likely to lead to surgery at some point.

Chris Bootcheck pitched four shutout innings to earn his first major league save, making it a successful night all around for the Angels.

“The most important thing was going out there and testing my elbow,” said Escobar, who gave up four hits, walked two and struck out seven while throwing 84 pitches. “It’s different in the bullpen, throwing simulated games.

“I’m very happy with the hitters. It’s great to see them get back in the groove and do what they do.”

Manager Mike Scioscia was equally pleased, downplaying any suggestions that his team’s two-day feast is any less valid because it has come at the expense of the Royals, whose 13-36 record is the worst in the major leagues. The Angels scored 23 runs and collected 28 hits in the first two games of the three-game series, batting .368 (28 for 76).

“We don’t feel there’s anything to who we’re playing or where we’re playing,” Scioscia said. “It’s how we’re playing. We need to get into our game. ... There were a lot of good things tonight.”

Before their flurry Saturday, the Angels had been held to five runs or fewer in 27 of 30 games and three runs or fewer in 13 of 24 games in May. Scioscia juggled the lineup Saturday, giving Curtis Pride his first start of the season at designated hitter, starting Figgins in right field for the first time this season -- he started there once last year -- and moving McPherson up to fifth in the batting order, the highest position at which he’d started this season.

McPherson drove in a run with a double in the fifth and another with his homer in the eighth, giving him six RBIs in three games after totaling three RBIs in his first 30 games.

“Before, we had confidence in his potential. Now, we have confidence in his production,” Scioscia said.

Pride doubled and scored in the fourth but left in the sixth inning because of a strained right wrist.