Kansas City, Mo. ? Three hits and two RBIs were not all Chris Getz delivered in Kansas City’s 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon.

The second baseman also saved a run in the eighth with a great relay throw to the plate that cut down Alberto Callaspo, who was trying to score from second on a double by Erick Aybar that looked as if it might be caught.

Getz’s play doesn’t show up in the box score, but little things like that often spell the difference in a tight game.

“By the time I got the ball, I saw he was just rounding third base. I threw it,” Getz said. “It was a decent throw, but (catcher Matt) Treanor stayed in there and made a good play.”

Getz drove in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth off Kevin Jepsen (0-1) as the Royals rallied.

Rookie Aaron Crow (1-0) pitched 12/3 innings for the victory, his first as a major-leaguer. It was the third straight day the Angels bullpen had faltered.

Crow, from around Topeka and a former Big 12 star at Missouri, has thrown three innings in this series and not allowed a run while striking out five.

“I’ve felt comfortable out there,” Crow said. “I had a couple of balls hit hard, but I was fortunate they made a great play at the plate. I got pretty lucky out there. We played great defense today.”

The Angels loaded the bases with one out in the seventh, but Crow came out of the bullpen and struck out Hunter on a 96 mph fastball and got Wells to ground into a forceout.

“It was awesome,” he said. “It may not have looked like it, but I was nervous out there.”

The Angels bullpen has not looked steady in any of the three games against the Royals.