MIKE TROUT hit another home run as Angels won another game (Angels photo).

From a staff writer

Quick! Consult the record books! When was the last time the Angels and Dodgers started off the season with a combined record of 4-0, and both in first place?

The Angels got Mike Trout’s second home run in as many games as they defeated the Astros in Houston 6-2. The Halos got a total of three round trippers with Josh Lowe and Zach Neto each going deep for the visiting Orange County team.

Trout not only hit the long ball but batted 3-for-4 and drew a walk.

Not as impressive for the Halos, but gritty enough was the pitching performance of Yusei Kikuchi, who worked 4.1 innings, yielding eight hits and striking out three batters while walking one.

The Angels will play the Astros on Saturday and Sunday before moving on to play the Cubs in Chicago on Monday.

The Dodgers had a tougher time on Friday while hosting the Arizona Diamondbacks, but prevailed on Kyle Tucker’s eighth inning RBI single that gave the Blue Crew a 5-4 victory.

LAD went ahead 4-2 in the third inning on two home runs – Alex Freeland and Mookie Betts – but Arizona tied it with two runs in the fourth.

That’s how it stood until Tucker’s game-winning hit.

The Dodgers eked out the win on just four hits and a “bullpen game” in which they used seven pitchers. Starter Emmet Sheehan had an uneven outing, lasting just 3.1 innings and giving up five hits and four runs. He struck out six and walked two.

The Dodgers will go for three in a row on Saturday against the D-backs and then host the Cleveland Guardians on Monday.