Royals single out Angels’ Weaver in 3-2 victory

If you are the starting pitcher for the Angels, it is not a good thing when Mike Scioscia visits the mound in the second inning.

And, if no one is warming up in the bullpen, it is definitely not a good thing. The Angels’ manager seldom visits the mound without taking out the pitcher, except for the rare occasion when he feels the need to deliver a message himself rather than dispatch the pitching coach with it.

But, after Jered Weaver gave up seven hits to the first 12 batters and committed an error, out marched Scioscia in the second inning. Weaver got back on track, but the Angels’ offense never did, and the Kansas City Royals emerged with a 3-2 victory Wednesday at Angel Stadium.

“You know, when he comes out with nobody up in the bullpen, he’s got some words of wisdom, that’s for sure,” Weaver said. “He said the right words and settled me down.”

By the end of the evening, the Angels had a far greater concern. Vladimir Guerrero left after eight innings after suffering a bruised right index finger during an at-bat in the seventh inning. Scioscia said Guerrero would be evaluated today but said the injury did not appear to be a long-term issue.

“Right now, it just looks like a little tweak,” Scioscia said.

Weaver got a little tweak from Scioscia after sinking the Angels into a 3-0 hole. He held the Royals there, but he was the second-best starter on this night.

Gil Meche, a $55-million reminder that not every five-year free-agent investment is a poor one, gave up two runs over six innings for the victory. He has won six consecutive decisions against the Angels.

These Royals, by the way, have the second-best record in the American League. They’re 9-6, with the Chicago White Sox at 9-5. Joakim Soria worked a perfect ninth inning for his fifth save, and Joey Gathright and Mark Teahen had three hits apiece for the Royals.

Casey Kotchman drove in both runs for the Angels, tying Guerrero for the team lead in runs batted in with 12. The Angels’ Alex Serrano, promoted from triple-A Salt Lake on Wednesday, pitched a scoreless ninth inning in his major league debut.

Weaver ended up with a quality start -- six innings, three runs, two earned -- but quality was not the first adjective that came to mind in the second inning. His line by then: three runs, seven hits, 52 pitches.

In the first, he gave up five hits, four of them before he retired a batter. He had given up four hits in his previous start, three hits in the one before that.

“A couple hard-hit balls,” Weaver said, “a couple of seeing-eye base hits.”

Said Scioscia: “Jered was all over the place. He was trying to get the ball in spots and missing by a lot.”

In the second, he gave up two more hits, and in between he committed an error by taking his eye off the ball while covering first base. Scioscia visited the mound to remind Weaver a 3-0 deficit could be overcome, if he could shake off his mistakes and focus on the batter.

“He was saying to keep battling and keep making pitches, just trying to settle me down a little bit,” Weaver said. “He definitely didn’t come out with an angry tone or anything like that.”

That worked, about all that did for the Angels on this night.

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bill.shaikin@latimes.com