ANAHEIM — Starter Brad Keller gave the Royals something they hadn’t had through the first two games of their series against the Angels: A quick inning to begin the ballgame.

Keller set down the top of the Angels’ lineup in order on just six pitches, but he could not replicate that success near the tail end of his outing in the Royals’ 6-1 loss to the Halos at Angel Stadium on Wednesday night.

Through his first five innings, Keller gave up two runs and kept the Royals in a one-run ball game despite giving up five hits and walking three.

But his outing came to an end after a rocky sixth inning. Keller walked Jared Walsh and gave up a single to Max Stassi to begin the sixth, and could not work his way out of the jam. Back-to-back one-out RBI hits from José Iglesias and Kean Wong led to Keller’s exit in an inning in which the only out he collected was on a bunt forceout from Taylor Ward.

Keller also struggled in the third inning. With two outs, Keller had Justin Upton down 0-2 in the count, but walked him and then allowed a single to left field from Shohei Ohtani. He could not strand the duo as they were brought home by Anthony Rendon who doubled to right field.