Angels’ Matt Shoemaker has another outing where it was hard to get outs

It began with a fat fastball that Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez crushed for a 429-foot home run to left-center field. It ended with a meaty changeup that Perez laced to left for a run-scoring single.

By the time Matt Shoemaker’s nightmare of a second inning ended, the Angels right-hander threw 34 pitches to 10 batters and retired two of them, one on a sacrifice bunt. The Royals scored six runs on six hits, their second-round knockout of Shoemaker leading to a 9-4 victory in Kauffman Stadium.

“I can’t even describe how frustrating it was,” Shoemaker said. “It seemed like not one thing could go right. I was just trying to throw a quality pitch, get a guy out. No matter what I threw, they were hitting it.”

In two career starts in Kansas City, Shoemaker has been tagged for 14 runs and 18 hits in 5 2/3 innings. He thinks that has more to do with the Royals “being a really good team” than him being uncomfortable on the mound.

A bigger concern for the Angels is that Shoemaker has given up 13 runs and 16 hits, including four homers, in 7 1/3 innings of his last two starts after throwing 19 scoreless innings in his previous three.

“He never got a chance to command some counts, to bring his secondary pitches in,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “All the things that are important to Matt haven’t shown up in the last two games.”

Albert Pujols hit a solo homer off starter Johnny Cueto in the second, his 31st of the season and 551st of his career and first since July 29. C.J. Cron hit a solo homer off reliever Luke Hochevar in the ninth, and the Angels had 11 hits, three by Johnny Giavotella and two each by David Murphy and Carlos Perez.

Injury updates

Erick Aybar missed his third straight game because of tightness in the left side of his lower back, but the shortstop took ground balls and threw on Saturday and is confident he will not have to go on the 15-day disabled list. If Aybar can swing a bat by Sunday, he might be able to return by Monday night.

David Freese, out since July 23 because of a broken right index finger, was examined by the Royals team physician Saturday after the third baseman failed to make progress in his throwing program. Freese is swinging fine, but he won’t start a minor league stint until he’s close to throwing full strength.

Short hops

Outfielder Collin Cowgill (right wrist sprain) had his minor league rehabilitation assignment transferred from Class-A Inland Empire to triple-A Salt Lake. … Left fielder Matt Joyce (concussion) will begin a minor league stint at Salt Lake Sunday. … Former Kansas City first baseman Mike Sweeney, a five-time All-Star who played at Ontario High, was inducted into the Royals Hall of Fame in a pregame ceremony.