Jul 5, 2014
Trout homers leading off 9th, giving Angels victory over Astros
Mike Trout homered leading off the ninth inning after the Los Angeles Angels twice rallied to tie the game, giving them a 7-6 victory over the Houston Astros on Friday night.
The Canadian Press
ANAHEIM, Calif. - Mike Trout homered leading off the ninth inning after the Los Angeles Angels twice rallied to tie the game, giving them a 7-6 victory over the Houston Astros on Friday night.
Trout sent an 0-2 pitch from Tony Sipp over the wall in left centre field and charged into a celebratory mob at home plate. Teammate Erick Aybar doused Trout with a blue sports drink, staining his white uniform, and fans chanted "MVP! MVP!"
It was Trout's second career walkoff hit, both of them homers.
Joe Smith (3-0) got the victory for the Angels, who have won eight in a row at home for the first time in nearly nine years.
Sipp (1-1) took the loss for the Astros, who dropped their fifth in a row.
Houston's Jose Altuve, who came in leading the American League in hits, stolen bases and batting average, went 0 for 5 with a strikeout.
The Angels blew a 3-1 lead in the third and then trailed 6-5 on Albert Pujols' 510th career homer — a two-run shot — in the fourth. They tied it 6-all in the seventh on Howie Kendrick's RBI double off the right field wall that scored Pujols, who singled leading off.
The Astros led 1-0 in the second on Chris Carter's homer. They took a 6-3 lead in the fourth on George Springer's two-run homer and a three-run shot by Jon Singleton.
Angels starter C.J. Wilson continued to struggle. The left-hander has failed to pitch more than five innings in four of his last seven starts. He gave up six runs and seven hits in 4 1-3 innings, struck out six and walked one.
Houston starter Dallas Keuchel allowed five runs and 13 hits in five innings, struck out one and walked one. The left-hander was scratched last Saturday against Detroit because of left wrist inflammation. He was making his first appearance since June 22, when he allowed five runs — four earned — in a 5-2 loss to Tampa Bay.
NOTES: Houston reinstated RHP Josh Fields from the 15-day DL after he went on it with soreness in his right forearm. ... The Astros traded RHP Andrew Robinson to Atlanta for a player to be named or cash considerations. ... The Angels improved to 28-29 on the Fourth of July, including 14-14 at home. ... The announced crowd of 43,557 was the Angels' fourth sellout of the season.