Mike Trout hits RBI 1,000 in win over Mariners

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- In what has already been a historic future Hall of Fame career for Mike Trout, he reached another career milestone Sunday afternoon.

Looking to increase the Angels' 2-0 lead, Trout blasted a no-doubter two-run home run 443 feet towards the rocks out in center field to earn his 1,000th and 1,001st career RBI in the fifth inning.

"It's pretty cool. It takes your teammates to get on base to accomplish that," Trout said. "After the game that was one of the things I pointed out. None of this is possible without my teammates. It's been fun."

Trout is the third Angels (51-55) player to have 1000 RBIs in their career, joining Garret Anderson and Tim Salmon. He's also player number 299 to reach 1000 career RBIs. His two-run homer also etched him closer to home run number 400, as he is now 3 away from another historic milestone.

"When guys are here that long and what they mean to the organization and the club. It's pretty special to be part of that group," Trout said. "They had unbelievable careers in an Angels uniform and when you're in the same conversation as them. It's pretty special."

Trout is now one of eight players to have 1,000 career RBIs joining, Freddie Freeman, Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, Andrew McCutchen, Carlos Santana, Giancarlo Stanton, Manny Machado, and the most recent member, Bryce Harper, who did this feat last May.

It should come as no surprise that Trout reached this career mark against the Seattle Mariners, as Trout has dominated the Mariners through his career as the MLB leader in home runs (55), runs (147) and total bases (437) against the Mariners. His 55 career homers against them are the most a player has against any team in baseball. Coming into today, he also had a career .314 average against Seattle.

"What an accomplishment," Angels interim manager Ray Montgomery said. "You just think about the body of work and what he's done. That's quite an honor. It's fun to watch him everyday."

His home run this afternoon came after starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks pitched five innings, giving up only one hit, and went the first four innings without giving up one.

The Angels were looking to give Hendricks some insurance to start the inning. They did so by loading the bases with zero outs after Logan Gilbert walked two straight batters, then hit Gustavo Campero with a pitch. The Angels quickly scored after Kevin Newman reached base from an RBI fielder's choice. In the next at-bat, Luis Rengifo scored from third after Gilbert threw a wild pitch.

Following the wild pitch, Zach Neto ended up flying out to left, leaving Newman as the lone baserunner at second.

Trout came up to the plate after Neto and needed only two pitches to make history when Gilbert threw a 96 MPH fastball in the middle outside part of the strikezone, resulting in Trout's homer.

Hendricks, 35, a Southern California native who grew up an Angels fan was just as excited as anyone on the team after seeing Trout notch his 1,000th RBI.

"So cool to be able to see Trouty. To see a thousand. So many freakin RBIs man." Hendricks said. "Just to be able to see that in person was so cool."

Before his 1000th RBI today, Trout was 0-2, striking out twice.

"My first two at bats weren't great so to be able to get this up and out. I got a pretty good swing on it." Trout said.

After Trout's 1000th RBI, Jo Adell had the second big play of the day, robbing J.P. Crawford from a home run in the sixth inning.

"It was actually one of those where we shaded in just a little bit. I was actually playing a little farther in than normal," Adell said. "So right off the bat I knew I had to get back to the wall and it had enough hangtime for me to get back there and make a play."

The Angels contained the Mariners (56-50) for the rest of the afternoon as Seattle's only run today came from a solo homer by Cal Raleigh in the seventh inning, holding on to a 4-1 victory.