Rangers Lose To Angels

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The growing legend of Mike Trout just increased by another page.

The center fielder hit a solo homer and a grand slam, leading the Los Angeles Angels to a 13-7 win over the Texas Rangers on Sunday in front of 38,539 at Angel Stadium.

The Angels used their eighth win in 11 games to regain a one-game lead over the second-place Houston Astros in the American League West. Los Angeles also halted its three-game losing streak and ended the Rangers’ stretch of four successive wins.

Trout scored three runs and walked before finishing 4-for-4 to raise his average to .315. The five RBIs and four hits matched his single-game career bests.

He collected his 30th and 31st homers of the year, becoming the 14th player in major league history to hit at least 30 homers in three seasons before reaching age 24.

“Obviously, the two home runs and the hits are great,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “But when you see him every day, you see the little things he does, whether it’s in the outfield or cutting a ball off to stop a runner going from first to third. He does so many things well on a baseball field.”

Trout leads the majors in homers, but he dismissed the idea of finishing the season as the top home run hitter.

“I don’t look at that stuff,” Trout said. “At the end of the year, if that’s where I’m at, then that’s where I’m at.”

Right fielder Kole Calhoun, designated hitter C.J. Cron and left fielder

Daniel Robertson contributed two hits apiece to the Angels’ 15-hit attack.

“Really, we shot ourselves in the foot,” Texas manager Jeff Banister said. “You’ve got to throw quality strikes early to these guys, get in the strike zone and get some early outs.”

Left-hander Andrew Heaney (5-0) registered his sixth quality start, all since being recalled June 24 from Triple-A Salt Lake. Heaney conceded just two runs in his six innings while allowing one walk and six hits, hitting two batters and striking out four.

“Texas has a really good offensive club and made Andrew work for every out,” Scioscia said. “Even when he’s not on top of his game, he made it work. He threw some good changeups and used his fastball very effectively.”

The Angels broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the fifth inning. After Calhoun, Trout and first baseman Albert Pujols loaded the bases on singles, shortstop Erick Aybar hit a sacrifice fly to bring Calhoun home.

Pujols stole his 100th career base during that inning to become the fourth player in major league history with 500 home runs, 100 stolen bases and a .300 career average. The others are Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and Hank Aaron, all members of the Hall of Fame.

In the sixth, Trout’s third career grand slam led a five-run outburst that resulted in an 8-2 advantage. After second baseman Johnny Giavotella hit a run-scoring single, Trout sent a 93 mph fastball from right-hander Spencer Patton into the third row of the bleachers in right-center field.

Texas first baseman Mitch Moreland hit a two-run single in the top of the seventh that narrowed the deficit to 8-4. Robertson responded in the bottom of the seventh by hitting a two-run double and circling the bases on second baseman Rougned Odor’s throwing error.

Trout gave the Angels a 1-0 lead in the first with his 30th home run of the season. Trout propelled a 90 mph fastball from right-hander Nick Martinez off the yellow line on top of the right-field fence.

Trout became the first Angel to reach 30 homers in a season in fewer than 100 games. Troy Glaus set the previous record with 30 home runs in exactly 100 games in 2000. Trout established the standard in his 97th game.

The Rangers tied the score in the third. Left fielder Ryan Rua doubled down the left field line, moved to third base on center fielder Delino DeShields’ infield single and came home on Odor’s single.

Texas then combined two hit batters, a walk and a hit in the top of the fourth to move ahead 2-1. Designated hitter Prince Fielder, who was hit by a pitch to begin the inning, scored when catcher Tomas Telis was hit with the bases loaded.

Los Angeles also received two scares on defense during the inning. While diving to make a one-handed catch of shortstop Elvis Andrus’ fly ball, Trout somersaulted and grimaced in pain while holding his left hand. However, after a visit from the trainer, Trout remained in the game.

Then left fielder Matt Joyce undercut Aybar, who fell on Joyce after making a one-handed catch of DeShields’ pop fly. Aybar stayed in the game, but Robertson pinch-hit for Joyce in the bottom of the fourth and took over in left field.

“I took a pretty good knock on the chin from his knee,” Joyce said. “They say I was out for a couple of seconds. I was dizzy right afterwards. I really don’t remember walking off the field.”

Joyce was diagnosed with a mild concussion, and he will be examined Monday.

The Angels tied the score in the bottom of the fourth on Cron’s sixth home run, a solo drive into the Rangers’ bullpen in left field.

Martinez (5-6) took his fourth consecutive loss. In five-plus innings, Martinez yielded four runs and six hits, including two home runs, while walking three and striking out five. The right-hander has not won since June 9.

Share and Enjoy !

Shares