Field Level Media
Apr 6, 2019
Mike Trout's leadoff home run in the sixth inning snapped a tie, and two innings later he added another homer, lifting the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-1 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday night in Anaheim, Calif.
Trout's home runs, his third in the past two nights, marked the 15th multi-homer game of his career.
The first came on a 2-0 fastball from Rangers starter Lance Lynn, who otherwise pitched a solid game. Lynn (0-1) gave up two runs on five hits in seven innings. He struck out five and walked one.
Trout gave Angels closer Cody Allen a little extra cushion with his homer off Jesse Chavez in the eighth. Allen pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save.
Angels reliever Justin Anderson (1-0) earned the victory with 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
The Angels took a lead against Lynn in the third inning after Brian Goodwin doubled with one out. David Fletcher moved Goodwin to third with an infield single, and Kole Calhoun drove home Goodwin with a single to right field, connecting on a 95 mph fastball from Lynn.
The Angels, though, missed a chance for more when Trout grounded into an inning-ending double play, marking the 53rd ground-ball double play of his career and first this season. He grounded into a double play just five times last season.
Angels starter Felix Pena kept the Rangers off the scoreboard until the fourth, when Joey Gallo got ahold of an 81 mph slider from Pena and hit it into the seats in right-center field for his third homer of the season and second in the last two nights.
Pena got the first two batters in the fifth inning, but after yielding a two-out single to Shin-Soo Choo, Angels manager Brad Ausmus felt Pena was done and took him out of the game.
Pena, who lasted only 3 2/3 innings in his first start of the season last Saturday vs. Oakland, managed to go 4 2/3 innings Friday, giving up the one run on four hits and two walks. He struck out seven.
--Field Level Media