Kansas City, Mo ? Jarrod Washburn psyches himself up by thinking about the last time he lost, working up a good anger.

Fortunately, he has a long memory.

Kansas City's A.J. Hinch, left, is tagged out by Anaheim catcher Bengie Molina in the third inning. The Angels edged the Royals, 1-0, on Thursday in Kansas City, Mo.

The Anaheim left-hander pitched six shutout innings Thursday night, leading the Angels past Kansas City 1-0 for his 10th straight victory, the longest streak in the majors this year.

“I don’t like to lose,” he said. “I think about my last loss and get mad.”

The 27-year-old Washburn (10-2) hasn’t lost since Oakland beat him last April 13 15 starts ago. He hasn’t been scored upon in 17 straight innings since Ivan Rodriguez homered for Texas on June 27.

“I just concentrate on whoever I’m pitching against,” he said. “Bengie Molina did a great job calling the game. He caught me coming up through the minor leagues. We just continue to get better together.”

The Angels’ lone run came when Shawn Wooten homered in his second at-bat of the season.

Wooten injured a thumb ligament in spring training and had spent the season on the disabled list and in rehabilitation assignments at Triple-A Salt Lake and Single-A Rancho Cucamonga.

Arriving just a couple of hours before the game, he singled in his first at-bat, then homered in the sixth.

“I was pretty nervous my first at-bat, like it was my big league debut,” said Wooten.

“My second at-bat I just told myself to relax and see some pitches and just do what I’ve done since I started playing professional baseball. I got a good pitch to hit and put a good swing on it.”

Washburn allowed three hits in six innings, struck out three and walked two, lowering his ERA from 3.21 to 3.04 and outdueling Darrell May (2-6), who pitched his first complete game in 16 major league starts.

Ben Weber allowed one hits in 1 2-3 innings, Scott Schoenweis got the final out of the eighth and Troy Percival finished the four-hitter for his 22nd save in 24 chances, his 14th in a row.

“It stinks,” May said when asked how it felt to pitch so well but still lose.

“I pitched well, so I’m not going to dwell on the fact I lost,” said May, who gave up only six hits and struck out five. “I’ll take what I did good out of this outing and prepare for my next one.”

Washburn was sympathetic.

“He threw a great game. He probably threw better than me,” he said. “He went nine innings. I only went six.”

A great throw to the plate from Tim Salmon in right field proved decisive. A.J. Hinch singled with two outs in the third and stole second and then tried to score on Carlos Febles’ single.

“You want to challenge everyone, but Salmon has a good arm,” said Hinch. “In hindsight, I wish Febles had hit it a little softer.”

Carlos Beltran walked leading off the ninth, and stole second. Mike Sweeney and Joe Randa flied out, and Raul Ibanez struck out.

Kansas City was shut out for the 11th time, the most in the major leagues.

Sweeney went 0-for-4, dropping his average to .357 as Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki took over the AL lead at .358.

Notes: Oakland’s Barry Zito and Arizona’s Curt Schilling each won nine straight decisions earlier this season. … Once they’re done with this four-game set against the fourth-place Royals, the Angels play Minnesota, Oakland, Seattle, Boston and New York. … The Royals agreed to terms with first-round pick Zack Greinke, a high school right-hander who was the fifth pitcher drafted in June. … Anaheim optioned RHP Matt Wise to Triple-A Salt Lake City. … The Royals purchased the contract of RHP Ryan Bukvich from Triple-A Omaha and designated RHP Cory Bailey for assignment. Bukvich, 24, was 1-0 with eight saves and a 0.00 ERA in 12 games at Omaha. … A fan behind the visitor’s dugout held up a sign that said, “There is no tying in baseball.” … Michael Tucker got a pinch double off Weber in the seventh when CF Darin Erstad lost the ball in the lights. It was the Royals’ first pinch-hit for extra bases this season.