ANAHEIM, Calif., -- Angels’ interim manager Ray Montgomery paraded from the dugout, waving his hand in disbelief at Rangers’ manager Bruce Bochy after Zach Neto and Mike Trout got hit by back-to-back pitches by Shawn Armstrong, causing benches to clear in the eighth inning.
“I don’t think the intent was anything more than obviously guys getting hit.” Montgomery said. “But in the same breath, you get four hit by pitches. You hit our second baseman, our shortstop and then Mike (Trout). The only thing I said (to the Texas bench) was ‘How many times are you going to hit a guy?’...Throw the ball over the plate.”
The Angels' explosive sixth inning recorded four runs to ultimately secure their 8-5 victory over the Texas Rangers Tuesday night.
Jo Adell went 2-for-3 with an RBI single, a triple, two runs and a walk in tonight’s defeat.
"I definitely felt like I facilitated really well tonight," Adell said during postgame interviews. "I just did what I did to try to put the ball in play, try to put pressure on them to make plays and I attacked on the bases. ...Everyone did their part individually."
The Angels had six hits in comparison to the Rangers’ 14, but the defensive mistakes by Texas were taken advantage of by the Angels, which in turn led to the victory.
Adell’s RBI single brought Neto home along with Nolan Schanuel - thanks to Adolis García's throwing error - to give the Angels an early 2-0 lead in the first.
Adell’s triple in the fourth paved the way for Gustavo Campero’s fly ball (that was dropped by García) to bring him home.
Before tonight’s game, Montgomery said that Yoán Moncada was available to play - after he had been resting his right hand contusion he received during Saturday’s game.
And available he was.
Moncada pinch hit for Kevin Newman in the sixth inning, showing up just in time and bringing home two runs with a single, aiding in the eruptive sixth inning. Prior to Moncada’s at-bat, Gustavo Campero doubled to bring home Adell.
Neto’s double finished off the inning, bringing in Moncada.
Schanuel hit a sacrifice fly to left field and Campero scored his second run of the night, insuring the Angels with their third straight win.
Yusei Kikuchi pitched 5.1 innings, allowing four runs and three earned runs on 10 hits. Brock Burke and Reid Detmers relieved Kikuchi, with neither allowing a run.
Connor Brogdon allowed one home run in his one inning pitched before Kenley Jansen recorded his 20th save.
The Angels stay in third place in the American League West with a 53-55 record, and stand only four games out of an AL wild card spot.
Clearly, the Angels aren’t going down without a fight.