ANAHEIM — Trailing by a run in the seventh inning, the Angels used a couple of overdue homers to break the game open.
Mike Trout got the rally started with a solo homer and Kevin Newman added a three-run homer, leading to a six-run inning and an 8-2 victory over the Washington Nationals on Saturday night.
Trout has been back from the injured list for about a month, but his bat has been relatively quiet ever since a flurry in the first few games.
Newman’s bat has been relatively quiet all season, relegating him to the bench on most days. He has only been starting this weekend because shortstop Zach Neto is still nursing a shoulder injury.
The Angels were down 2-1 when Trout led off the bottom of the seventh with a homer.
Trout had not driven in a run to tie the game or give the Angels the lead in the seventh inning or later since April 15, 2024.
Trout was hitting .111 this season in “late and close” situations, which are defined as any situation in the seventh or later with the hitting team up by a run, tied or with the tying run at least on deck.
That he did it with a homer was also notable. Trout hadn’t hit a homer since June 19. He’s hit only four homers in 27 games since returning from a knee injury.
Taylor Ward followed the homer with a double, and then Jo Adell singled, putting runners on the corners. Two outs later, the Angels hadn’t gotten the go-ahead run home. Christian Moore punched a single into left field to put the Angels on top.
Newman then launched his first homer of the season, in his 85th plate appearance, to give the Angels a 6-2 lead. Ward’s bases-loaded walk finished the scoring.
Left-hander Reid Detmers and right-hander Sam Bachman then picked up the final six outs, getting the Angels (41-41) a victory on a night that their pitchers were able to bounce back from Friday’s 15-9 nightmare loss.
Angels starter Kyle Hendricks gave up one run in five innings, once again delivering what the Angels hoped to get for their modest $2.5-million investment.
Hendricks has an unspectacular 4.66 ERA, but he’s pitched at least five innings in 14 of his 16 starts. He’s allowed three runs or fewer in 10 of them. The Angels have been ahead or tied when he’s left the game 10 times. Their overall record is 8-8 when he starts.
On Saturday night, Hendricks threw 74 pitches and 36% of them were either called strikes or swinging strikes, which was his highest percentage of the year.
Hendricks didn’t walk a batter, and he struck out five. He didn’t allow a run until CJ Abrams hit a homer with two outs in the fifth.
Right-hander José Fermin pitched a scoreless sixth, and then Ryan Zeferjahn gave up a run in the seventh, creating the Nationals’ short-lived lead.
More to come on this story.