Uncategorized

Trout’s blasts lift the Angels above .500

MIKE TROUT homered twice in the Angels’ 11-6 win over Toronto on Wednesday. He had seven RBIs (Flickr/Keith Allison).

By Pete Zarustica

If football is a game of inches, baseball is a game of numbers. The Los Angeles Angels’ numbers are coming up lucky lately, as they rose above .500 for the first time in two months with their 11-6 win over the Blue Jays in Toronto on Wednesday.

The biggest numbers belonged to Mike Trout, who hit two home runs – including a grand slam – and drove in seven runs as the Halos won their sixth straight game against the Canadian team. His recent surge has raised his batting average to .299. He’s got 22 home runs and 56 RBIs, and has an OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging) figure of 1.114.

“It was a good night,” Trout said. “Obviously, I feel pretty good up there right now. This is the best I’ve felt all season, just getting a pitch to hit and not missing it. Just barreling the ball.”

With the win, the Angels are 38-37. That’s still good for just fourth place in the American League West, but they’re one game out of third and one and sa half games out of second.  Stepping back and taking a look at the AL wild card race, the Halos are just 2.5 games out.

The game was a back-and-forth slugfest through the first six innings, with the Angels leading 7-5. But the Orange County team pulled away with four runs in the final three innings.

Trout wasn’t the only guy with good numbers. Justin Upton homered and four other players had two hits. Trout went for 3-for-6 with two runs scored.

Starter Andrew Heaney’s outing wasn’t quite as lustrous. He lasted just 3.1 innings, yielding four hits (including one home run) and five earned runs. He struck out two and walked four. The win went to Noe Ramirez (3-0) in relief.

The Angels will try to sweep the season series with the Blue Jays today (Thursday) with Jose Suarez (2-1) making the start.

 

Leave a Reply