Trout walk-off in 9th lifts Angels after 6 hitless innings vs. BoSox
ANAHEIM, Calif.
Mike Trout proved once again that he knows as much about ending games with a dramatic flair as he does starting them.
Trout returned from his second straight All-Star MVP performance with a two-out walkoff home run in the ninth Friday night, lifting the Los Angeles Angels to a 1-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox after they were no-hit through six innings by Wade Miley.
"It's been crazy, for sure. One of those weeks I'm definitely going to remember," said the reigning AL MVP, who led off Tuesday's All-Star Game with a home run against major league ERA leader Zack Greinke. "It's been fun, though. It's just why we play the game, to have fun and try to win ballgames."
Trout drove a 0-1 pitch from Red Sox closer Koji Uehara (2-4) way over the fence in left-center for his league-leading 27th homer. Unfortunately for C.J. Wilson, it didn't come in time to help him get credit for the victory.
"I was just trying to keep my approach and just control my emotions, not try to hit a home run there," he said. "If I went up there trying to hit it out, it probably wouldn't have happened. But I trusted my approach. I'm just trying to get out on the right foot in the second half. It was a big win. Miley had great stuff tonight, but so did C.J. We just kept battling and came out with the `W.'"
Wilson scattered five hits and three walks over eight innings while striking out four. It was the third time in his last five starts that the Angels didn't score while he was in the game.
The win went to Joe Smith (2-1), who pitched a perfect but painful ninth. He limped off the field after Mike Napoli's line drive deflected off his right shin before shortstop Erick Aybar threw him out to end the inning.
Miley retired his first 16 batters before walking Chris Iannetta with one out in the sixth. Kole Calhoun broke up the no-hit bit in the seventh with a leadoff double over the head of center fielder Mookie Betts that hit the fence on the fly. It came on the left-hander's first pitch of the inning and 85th of the game.
"That was a well-played game, and unfortunately, we came up on the wrong end of a 1-0 score," manager John Farrell said. "But Wade was outstanding. He was aggressive and he threw a lot of strikes. There were some at-bats where he got behind in the count, but he found a way back in to salvage the at-bat and made a big pitch a couple of times on 3-2 counts."
Calhoun was stranded at third when shortstop Xander Bogaerts went deep in the hole for Aybar's grounder and threw him out. The Angels, who scored 10 or more runs four times during their nine-game road trip leading into the break, are hitless in their past 30 at-bats at home with runners in scoring position.
"That's a play Xander doesn't make a year ago," Farrell said. "He ranges far to his right and gets a speedy runner by a good step to preserve a scoreless tie to end the seventh inning. That's an outstanding major league play."
Farrell pulled Miley after he issued a leadoff walk in the eighth to David Freese with his 101st pitch. Miley, who came in with a 4.80 ERA, struck out six in his first start since giving up six runs through 5 1/3 innings in a 5-3 home loss to the Yankees last Sunday.
Miley took a no-hitter into the fifth inning against the Angels on May 24 at Fenway Park, before giving up a two-out single by C.J. Cron after a walk to Iannetta that also ended a chance at a perfect game. Miley went eight innings that afternoon in a 6-1 victory.
"I was a little bit more aggressive against them at Fenway," Miley said. "I think Ryan Hanigan did a great job of sticking with the game plan and kind of figuring out what was going on. I didn't shake him off one time. We got in a really good rhythm, and I felt really confident about what he was putting down. The defense made some really good plays behind me, but it just didn't work out."
Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia was 0 for 4 in his first game off the disabled list. He had been sidelined since June 25 because of a strained right hamstring.
Pedroia's stint on the DL was his fourth in the majors and first since 2012, when he had a sprained right thumb. In 2010, he was sidelined almost two months with a broken foot, then went back on the DL three days after being activated and underwent season-ending surgery.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Red Sox: RHP Clay Buchholz, seeking a second opinion on the strained flexor muscle in his forearm that has sidelined him since July 11, is planning on seeing Dr. James Andrews in Pensacola, Florida on Wednesday. His turn in the rotation next Tuesday against Houston will be taken by rookie LHP Brian Johnson, who will make his big league debut following his promotion last Saturday from Triple-A Pawtucket.
Angels: RHP Huston Street, sidelined by a groin strain that occurred on his final pitch of in a save at Colorado on July 8, threw a bullpen session and is expected to be eligible to close again Saturday. He needs one save to become the 27th player with at least 300. ... RHP Jered Weaver, sidelined with inflammation in his right hip, could return to the rotation as soon as next weekend. He threw 50 pitches during a simulated game Thursday, and will need at least one more before the club determines whether he is ready to return to the rotation against Texas.
UP NEXT
Red Sox: RHP Rick Porcello (4-9) will be pitching on nine days' rest against the Angels, who beat him 12-5 on May 22 in Boston after he gave up seven runs in 4 1/3 innings. His last outing before the All-Star break was a 6-3 victory against Miami on July 8 at Fenway Park, ending a stretch of eight starts in which he was 0-7 with an 8.18 ERA.
Angels: RHP Garrett Richards (9-6) will pitch on eight days' rest in his rematch with Porcello. He has gone 7 2/3 innings in two of his past three outings, but hasn't pitched eight full innings since throwing a five-hit shutout at Dodger Stadium on Aug. 4, 2014. Three starts after that, he suffered a season-ending knee injury covering first base at Boston.
