Arlington, TX – Arlington, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Mike Trout smacked a three-run homer among his four hits, four RBI and three runs scored as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pounded the Texas Rangers, 15-6, in the opener of a four-game set.
Kole Calhoun posted four hits, four runs scored and an RBI, while Josh Hamilton went 3-for-5 with two RBI and a pair of runs scored for the Angels, who have won nine of their last 11 games.
Hector Santiago (1-7) allowed four runs -- three earned -- on five hits and a walk while striking out eight over six innings to notch the win.
"We're on a hot streak right now," said Santiago. "We are a complete team and there are no holes with us right now."
Colby Lewis (6-6) surrendered 13 runs -- 11 earned -- on 13 hits over just 2 1/3 frames for Texas, which has dropped 19 of its last 22 contests. Adrian Beltre homered in defeat.
"The only people that can make a change and make a difference is my guys," Rangers manager Ron Washington said.
The Angels plated four runs to open the scoring in the first and after the Rangers pushed across a pair in the home half, the Halos scored six runs in the second and three more in the third to turn the game into a laugher.
Calhoun led of the game with a triple down the third-base line and scored when Adam Rosales' throw to third bounced into the stands. Trout and Albert Pujols hit back-to-back singles and Trout came home on Hamilton's double to right. Pujols scored on an Erick Aybar groundout and Howie Kendrick plated Hamilton with a sacrifice fly.
Jake Smolinski's two-run double cut the deficit in half in the home first.
Calhoun whacked an RBI double, Trout hit a run-scoring single, Pujols lifted a sacrifice fly, Hamilton smacked an RBI double, Aybar hit an RBI single and Hamilton scored with runners on the corners when Kendrick rolled into a double play to increase the LA margin to 10-2.
Trout's three-run blast in the third made it 13-2.
Robinson Chirinos' sacrifice fly in the fourth and Beltre's solo shot in the sixth trimmed the gap to 13-4, but Pujols' RBI single and Aybar's run-scoring groundout in the eighth upped the margin to 15-4.
Smolinski's RBI double and Chirinos' run-scoring base hit in the ninth capped the scoring.
Game Notes
Pujols recorded two hits, two RBI and two runs scored ... Trout's homer was his 21st of the year ... The Angels were 7-for-13 with runners in scoring position, while Texas finished 2-for-7.
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