Angels Watch AL West Lead Slip-Sliding Away

The American League wild-card race has become a four-team struggle following Kansas City’s 10-8 victory over the Angels in Anaheim Stadium on Sunday.

“This was a huge series for us. This was a dogfight all the way, but we held on. Now we’re right back in it,” Joe Vitiello said after homering twice and driving in five runs.

With their fourth consecutive victory, the Royals moved within one game of Seattle in the wild-card race. New York and Texas also are one game back.

“This was really terrible,” said Mark Langston (15-5), who allowed three homers for the second time in three starts. “The team is struggling, looking for someone to pick them up. I let down the team and the fans. I was horrible.”

The Angels, who lost for the 22nd time in 30 games, remained three games ahead of Seattle in the AL West. The Mariners lost 2-1 at Chicago.

Each team hit four homers. Vitiello hit a three-run shot in the first and a two-run drive in the fifth. Langston, tagged for seven runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings, also allowed a two-run homer to Juan Samuel, his 12th.

“The first pitch was a breaking ball in, and I didn’t think he got it,” Langston said of Vitiello’s hits. “The second was a fastball, not in enough, but I didn’t think he got that, either. But in the day time here, the ball really carries.”

Vitiello homered Friday as Kevin Appier pitched a three-hitter and Kansas City won, 5-0. After siting out Saturday night’s start with a right-hander starting for California, Vitiello came back Sunday with his fourth and fifth homers.

Vitiello also was robbed of a three-run homer Friday night when center fielder Jim Edmonds leaped high above and beyond the fence to catch his drive.

On Sunday, Vitiello had a sense of “Oh no, not again” on his drive in the fifth inning. Edmonds attempted a similar grab.

“The way he was acting, I couldn’t tell what was happening,” Vitiello said. “I thought he’d robbed me again.”

Hipolito Pichardo (8-4) pitched 1 1/3 innings, allowing Greg Myers’ solo homer in the eighth. Jeff Montgomery got four outs for his 31st save in 38 chances, giving up a ninth-inning homer to Tony Phillips.

Chili Davis’ 19th homer, a two-run drive, had cut Kansas City’s lead to 8-6 in the seventh.

The Angels, who got an RBI single from Dick Schofield in the second, pulled to 5-3 in the fourth on a two-run homer by J.T. Snow, his 21st.

Vitiello’s second homer of the game put the Royals ahead 7-3, but Tim Salmon hit an RBI grounder in the bottom of the fifth.

Gary Gaetti’s solo homer in the seventh gave the Royals an 8-4 lead. It was Gaetti’s 34th homer, matching his career high, set in 1986 with Minnesota.

Kansas City added two runs in the eighth on Tom Goodwin’s RBI double off Bob Patterson and Mike James’ bases-loaded walk to Bob Hamelin.