OC Register: Mike Trout blasts 8th-inning homer to propel Angels past Rays

[AngelsWin.com]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A day after Mike Trout lamented his performance with runners in scoring position, he delivered his biggest hit of the young season.

Trout belted an eighth-inning two-run homer to give the Angels the lead on their way to a 7-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night.

It was Trout’s seventh homer of the season (and the 375th of his career), but only the second that wasn’t a solo shot. He’s only driven in 10 runs, despite driving himself in seven times. Trout had been 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position before the homer.

On Sunday in Boston, the Angels had a promising rally in the ninth inning, but Trout struck out to end the game, leaving the potential tying run at third and the go-ahead run at second.

This time, the Angels had done little offensively for the first seven innings. Their best opportunity was in the seventh, but Mickey Moniak hit into a bases-loaded double play.

They still trailed 1-0 in the eighth, when Anthony Rendon singled with one out. After Rendon went to second on a passed ball, Trout got a 2-and-1 curveball from Phil Maton, and he hammered it 420 feet to left field.

It opened the floodgates. Taylor Ward and Miguel Sanó then singled and Brandon Drury walked, loading the bases. Matt Thaiss drove in all three with a double into right field.

The Angels (8-8) needed the insurance, because left-hander Matt Moore gave up a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth. Ward hit a two-run homer in the top of the ninth to get those runs back before Carlos Estévez recorded the final three outs.

Starter Patrick Sandoval did not last long enough to get the win, but he nonetheless had an encouraging performance, allowing one run in five innings.

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Sandoval did not give up a hit until the fourth. In the fifth, he got into and out of a jam. He gave up back-to-back singles and then he issued a walk, loading the bases with no outs.

Although Sandoval was at 82 pitches and about to see the Rays order for the third time, Manager Ron Washington stuck with him.

Sandoval induced ground balls from each of the top three hitters,  pushing home only one run and avoiding a big inning.

More to come on this story.

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