ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Taylor Ward drove in two runs, Brandon Marsh had three hits and an RBI, and the Los Angeles Angels completed a four-game sweep of the Cleveland Guardians with a 4-1 victory on Thursday.
Reid Detmers (1-1) pitched five innings of two-hit ball to earn his second career major-league victory.
The Angels won the final five games of their homestand. Ward and Marsh hit RBI singles in the third inning of Los Angeles' 12th win in 16 games, putting the Halos six games over .500 for the first time since late June 2018. Los Angeles hasn't had a winning season since 2015.
Orange County native Austin Hedges homered and had two hits for the Guardians, who have lost the first seven games of their 10-game road trip.
Ward drove in nine runs in the four-game series, an impressive RBI surge that's coincided with his move to the Angels' leadoff spot in place of AL MVP Shohei Ohtani, who got his first day off of the season Thursday after playing both ways Wednesday night.
Detmers put together another strong start befitting one of the top left-handed prospects in baseball, walking one and striking out four.
Los Angeles’ excellent start to the season is largely due to stellar work by its long-struggling rotation, capped by this four-game series with the starters allowing just three runs in 23 innings. The Angels' bullpen is also much improved: Four relievers combined for four innings of scoreless two-hit ball, with Raisel Iglesias pitching the ninth for his fifth save.
Cal Quantrill (1-1) yielded four hits and one earned run over six solid innings for the Guardians, striking out four and walking three.
Los Angeles loaded the bases on a walk and two errors to open the third. Ward and Marsh delivered short RBI singles before the Angels went up 3-0 on Mike Trout's double-play groundout.
Hedges delivered a two-out solo shot in the fifth, but Detmers finished the inning with his 88th pitch.
Los Angeles added a run in the seventh when Tyler Wade doubled and scored on Ward's groundout.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Guardians: Rookie OF Steven Kwan missed the four-game series with hamstring tightness, but still could avoid a stint on the injured list. He'll be re-evaluated in Oakland on Friday.
Angels: David Fletcher is close to returning from his 15-game absence with a strained left hip. He is with the team and doing on-field work.
UP NEXT
Guardians: Aaron Civale (0-2, 9.58 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound Friday for the opener of a weekend series at Oakland. He has 11 earned runs and hasn't reached the fifth inning in three starts this season.
Angels: Noah Syndergaard (2-0, 2.12 ERA) looks to build on his so-far successful comeback season when Los Angeles opens a four-game series in Chicago against the White Sox on Friday. Thor faces Los Angeles-area native Lucas Giolito (0-0, 1.13).
___
More AP MLB: https://www.apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
