PITTSBURGH — Patrick Sandoval took another step toward getting his career back on track on Tuesday.
Sandoval pitched seven innings in the Angels’ 9-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates, with Kevin Pillar’s two homers and career-high six RBIs providing the bulk of the support.
Sandoval has now pitched better in each of his last three starts, allowing three and two earned runs in the previous two. This was the first time this season that he finished the sixth inning.
Although it might be easy to dismiss this outing because the Pirates are not a good offensive team, it came on the heels of a 10-strikeout performance in five innings against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Sandoval gave up three hits, struck out seven and walked one on Tuesday, throwing 71 strikes among his 103 pitches.
Once again, Sandoval threw primarily his slider and changeup, throwing just 30 fastballs all night.
The Pirates did not even get a runner into scoring position against Sandoval until the seventh. Pillar, the left fielder, appeared to lose a line drive in the lights in left field, allowing it to go for a double.
Pillar had provided plenty of support for Sandoval and the Angels, though.
Pillar hit his first homer of the night, a three-run shot in the fourth inning. He drove in a run with a groundout in the fifth and he hit a solo homer in the seventh. It was the seventh time in his career he had hit multiple homers. Pillar added an RBI double in the eighth, setting a new career high in RBIs.
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The Angels primarily expected Pillar to hit against left-handed pitchers, but he got the start against Pittsburgh right-hander Quinn Priester on Tuesday because Taylor Ward got a day off.
The Angels are facing a lefty on Wednesday, so Pillar is likely to start in center field instead of Mickey Moniak.
Moniak was one of a few players who contributed toward the 15-hit night for an Angels’ offense that had scored just three runs in the previous three games, all losses.
Logan O’Hoppe had four hits. Moniak and Nolan Schanuel had two apiece, each with a double.
More to come on this story.
The Angels’ Kevin Pillar celebrates in the dugout after hitting a three-run home run during the fourth inning of their game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night in Pittsburgh. Pillar went 3 for 5 with two homers, a double and a career-high six RBIs in the 9-0 win. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
