MIAMI — A game that began horribly for the Angels ended up as a victory and an addition to Mike Trout’s career highlight reel.
The Angels overcame a four-run deficit in the first inning to beat the Miami Marlins, 7-4, on Monday night, including a 473-foot homer by Trout that tied the score in the sixth inning.
It was Trout’s second homer of the night, and third in four games this season.
“That’s probably one of the better balls I’ve hit,” Trout said. “Just barreling it and actually seeing it go out, it felt pretty good. I’ve been telling you this for a couple weeks, just trying to get back to myself. Today, I got back to that.”
Trout also drew a walk to load the bases in the eighth, setting up the go-ahead run to score on Taylor Ward’s subsequent groundout.
“What a night,” Manager Ron Washington said of Trout’s performance. “That was very impressive. I don’t know where he lost anything. He’s healthy. Those two balls he hit, he put a charge in them. And the at-bat he ended up walking was excellent too. He had a tremendous night and we certainly needed that.”
Trout’s two homers – plus one from South Florida native Nolan Schanuel – helped the Angels overcome a first inning in which Chase Silseth gave up four runs.
After that, though, Silseth and a string of Angels relievers held the Marlins while the hitters chipped away.
Ward led off the second with a double and he scored on a groundout. Trout hit a 412-foot homer to left in the fourth inning to cut the lead to 4-2. In the sixth, Schanuel lifted a homer over the right field fence, his first of the season. Moments later, Trout blasted a homer to center, with the ball landing on a platform above a walkway.
It was tied for the fifth-longest homer for Trout since 2015, when Statcast began.
The score was still tied in the eighth when Anthony Rendon led off by drawing an 11-pitch walk. It was the first time Rendon reached base after an 0-for-14 start. Schanuel was then squaring to bunt, but he walked. Trout then walked to load the bases.
The Marlins’ infield was playing in when Ward hit a grounder to second baseman Luis Arraez, but he stumbled and couldn’t collect himself in time to throw home.
The Angels added two insurance runs in the ninth, on a Logan O’Hoppe triple, a Jo Adell single and then a balk by Burch Smith. Adell was able to score on the balk because he had alertly stolen third when the Marlins ignored him at second.
Closer Carlos Estévez then converted his second save in as many days, completing an impressive performance for the Angels bullpen.
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José Cisnero, José Suarez, Adam Cimber and Matt Moore bridged the five innings between Silseth and Estévez. Cimber was particularly impressive, getting an inning-ending double play on the first pitch he threw after entering in the sixth.
“That’s what Wash told me to do when I got out there,” Cimber quipped. “It was a cool situation to be in. Great play behind me by (Brandon) Drury and (Zach) Neto.”
The bullpen and the offense helped bail out Silseth, who gave up four runs in a first inning when a little of everything went wrong.
He walked the leadoff man, Arraez. He was then ahead of Josh Bell, 1-and-2, when Matt Thaiss was called for catcher’s interference.
Silseth then gave up back-to-back singles, knocking in two runs. An out later, he had a chance to get out of the inning with a ground ball. Neto fielded the grounder and tried to get the out at second himself, but by the time he got to the bag he was too late to get speedy Jazz Chisholm Jr., and then his throw to first was too late.
The failure to get at least one out there was costly, because Silseth gave up a two-run double with two outs.
“Just didn’t throw strikes,” Silseth said. “I got behind, forcing you to make pitches you don’t want to make.”
Silseth managed two more innings. He left after the third, which included a discussion with head athletic trainer Mike Frostad about a blister and cracked nail. Silseth said it was nothing that caused any pain or concern for future starts.
He said he expects to get back to work to have a better outing next time, so he won’t need so much help from his teammates.
“They did their jobs tonight,” Silseth said. “I wish I was able to do mine a little better. All credit to those guys. Those guys have my back. It’s awesome to see that.”
