KANSAS CITY -- Manager Ron Washington said he believes Zach Neto has the ability to hit the ball out of the yard without even trying.

That type of natural power was on full display once again in the Angels’ 9-5 win over the Royals on Tuesday at Kauffman Stadium as Neto homered for the second straight game.

Neto has blasted six homers and driven in 16 runs in the past 15 days. The 22-year-old is now just three homers shy of tying Jim Fregosi (22 in 1970) for the most homers in a single season by a shortstop in Halos history.

His 19th blast of the 2024 campaign was a no-doubter, flying a Statcast-projected 424 feet over the Angels’ bullpen in left field to give Los Angeles a 3-2 lead in the sixth. Royals starter Cole Ragans left a fastball up in the zone and over the plate, and Neto clobbered it.

Neto also helped stop the Royals’ rally in the eighth, ranging back into shallow left-center to make an over-the-shoulder grab to rob Freddy Fermin of a hit.

Anthony Rendon, Logan O’Hoppe and Kevin Pillar all drove in a pair of runs to power the Halos offensively. It was the first time the Angels scored more than three runs since a 6-4 win against the Nationals on Aug. 11.

And that was enough for Tyler Anderson, who allowed just two runs through the first six innings before getting tagged for three in the seventh. Hunter Strickland, José Quijada and Ben Joyce got the final nine outs to secure the victory.

The Angels will go for the series win with Johnny Cueto expected to be called up from Triple-A Salt Lake to make his season debut in the rubber match.