ARLINGTON, Texas — The Angels might have something here.
Sam Aldegheri earned his first major league win, allowing one run on three hits in six innings in the Angels’ 5-1 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday night at Globe Life Field.
Aldegheri (1-1), the first major league pitcher born and raised in Italy, struck out seven and walked three in his second career start. Last Friday night, the 22-year-old left-hander gave up seven runs (two earned) in five innings in a 9-5 loss to the Seattle Mariners.
Aldegheri, whose first exposure to the major leagues was watching videos of Dodgers star Clayton Kershaw on YouTube and streaming on Italian TV, said he has dreamed of this first win “a lot.”
“For sure it was something that I was looking to accomplish today, and I did it,” said Aldegheri, who began the season in Class-A ball in the Philadelphia organization, was acquired at the trade deadline and brought up from Double-A last Friday. “So, it feels really great.”
Aldegheri became the third Italian-born pitcher to win a major league game, the first since Marino Pieretti of the Chicago White Sox in 1949. Aldegheri’s seven strikeouts are the most in a game by a native Italian in MLB history.
“He kept a good-swinging team off-balance over there,” said Angels manager Ron Washington, who compared Aldegheri to Rangers lefty Cody Bradford. “It’s similar. Only thing is, the [Bradford] last night has a little bit more maturity and a little bit more time in the big leagues. But this kid has an idea of how to pitch, and he showed that tonight.”
The Angels’ offense built a five-run lead with two in the third and three in the sixth on Logan O’Hoppe’s three-run home run to left, his 19th homer this season. O’Hoppe drove an 0-and-2 changeup to deep left field off reliever José Ureña after Anthony Rendon reached on a fielding error by third baseman Josh Jung, and Mickey Moniak singled.
The Angels had taken a 2-0 lead in the third off Gerson Garabito (0-2), who made his second start of the season and first since May 26. Zach Neto scored Brandon Drury while hitting into a bases-loaded double play, and Nolan Schanuel singled home Niko Kavadas.
The Rangers scored a run in the sixth after Wyatt Langford led off with an infield single to third, moved to third base on Josh Jung’s single, and scored on Adolis Garcia’s sacrifice fly to center. Aldegheri was not flustered, however, and retired Nathaniel Lowe and Ezequiel Duran on fly outs to end the inning.
Aldegheri, who turns 23 on Sept. 19, was acquired along with right-hander George Klassen from the Phillies for right-handed reliever Carlos Estévez on July 27.
If Angels fans weren’t sure what they were getting in Aldegheri, they might have a better idea now. He located a low-90s four-seam fastball effectively and used a low-80s changeup to keep batters off-balance. Rangers veteran slugger Marcus Semien popped up three times to the infield against Aldegheri.
For a pitcher who hadn’t thrown above High-A until July 12, it has been a fast ascent. He had 14 swing-and-miss pitches on Friday.
“For sure. It’s different, but I’m here, so I’m just trying to compete and do my best for me and for the team,” Aldegheri said.
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Washington, who said he’s never coached or managed an Italian-born player before, said Aldegheri showed poise beyond his years.
“It’s about location and changing speeds. You want to keep a hitter off-balance,” he said. “Last night, Bradford did it to us, and tonight, Aldegheri did it to them. Neither one of them can break a window pane, but they know how to pitch, and sometimes in this game, all you have to do is pitch.”
The Angels’ bullpen received scoreless innings from Hunter Strickland, Brock Burke, and José Quijada to close it out. The trio combined to allow one hit and one walk while striking out five.
“Strickland came in and threw well, Burke came in and threw well, and then Q came in and threw well,” Washington said. “And we needed everything they gave us.”
AROUND THE BASES
Angels right fielder Jo Adell left with left oblique irritation after striking out in the second inning and was replaced by Kevin Pillar. … Left fielder Taylor Ward singled and walked, extending his on-base streak to a season-best 16 games.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.