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 Two outs, bottom of the ninth inning, the score tied 0-0, and the
Los Angeles Angels center fielder did what the sellout crowd at
Angel Stadium was hoping for, maybe even expecting.
Trout hit his American League-leading 27th home run of the season, a
laser over the center field fence, lifting the Angels to a 1-0
victory over the Boston Red Sox on Friday ight.
Coming off his All-Star MVP three days ago, Trout hit an 88 mph
fastball from Red Sox reliever Koji Uehara for his third career
walk-off homer. In all, not a bad week for Trout,
"I'm just having fun," Trout said. "All the preparation we do, all
the stuff we work on in batting practice, we try to take it into the
game and it's been working for me."
It has been working especially well for Trout lately, who hit .382
(13-for-34) with five homers and 11 RBIs during a nine-game road
trip heading into the All-Star break.'
"Mike seems like he does something every night," Angels manager Mike
Scioscia said. "Whether it's in the outfield or on the bases, and
tonight it was in the batter's box. He's a special player."
Trout's homer ended a game that was well-pitched by both teams.
Angels starter C.J. Wilson threw eight scoreless innings and handed
the ball over to reliever Joe Smith, who worked a scoreless ninth to
get the win.
Red Sox starter Wade Miley had a no-hitter through six innings and
finished seven-plus innings allowing only one hit. Reliever Junichi
Tazawa threw a scoreless eighth, setting up Uehara for the ninth.
Uehara retired the first two batters of the inning before facing
Trout and throwing a first-pitch strike. Then he threw a fastball
that got a little too much of the plate.
"He was trying to go down and away, and it leaked back a little on
the plate," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "And (Trout's) such a
good low-ball hitter, he got him this time."
The Angels' offense had emerged, it seemed, after they averaged 7.2
runs and 11.9 hits during a nine-game road trip going into the
All-Star break. But a well-pitched game by Miley left the Angels
scratching for baserunners.
Miley retired the first 16 batters before catcher Chris Iannetta
walked with one out in the sixth. Miley, though, completed six
innings with a no-hitter intact.
On Miley's first pitch in the seventh, right fielder Kole Calhoun
laced a 91 mph fastball off the fence in center field for a leadoff
double.
Calhoun moved to third on Trout's flyout to deep right-center field,
but first baseman Albert Pujols couldn't get the run in when he
popped out to shallow right.
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Erick Aybar followed with a grounder to the hole at short, but Red
Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts ranged to his right, backhanded the
ball and made a strong throw to first in time to get Aybar and keep
the score at 0-0.
"Wade was outstanding," Farrell said. "He was aggressive, he threw a
lot of strikes, there were some at-bats where he fell behind in the
count but found a way back in, made some big pitches on a couple 3-2
counts. He was very good."
The Red Sox put one runner on base in all eight innings against
Wilson but could never get a second baserunner.
"The inability to bunch some hits together, I think we had five
opportunities with runners in scoring position," Farrell said. "We
had a good approach overall yet the hits weren't there to fall in."
The Angels had just two hits in the game but only needed the one.
"He's just done it time in and time out," Scioscia said. "And he got
it done tonight. I don't know if we can find any more accolades to
talk about Mike Trout. He does so many things in so many different
forms, with his legs or with his bat, and he did it tonight."
NOTES: Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia was activated from the disabled
list and started Friday night. He had been out since June 24 with a
strained right hamstring. ... Angels INF Grant Green was recalled
from Triple-A Salt Lake, the third time this season he has been
promoted to the big league club. RHP Vinnie Pestano was optioned to
Salt Lake to make room on the roster. ... Red Sox INF Brock Holt
became the third player in All-Star history to enter the game as a
pinch runner, steal a base and score a run in the same inning,
joining Maury Wills (1962) and George Hendrick (1975). ... Angels
RHP Huston Street, out since July 8 with a strained right groin,
threw a bullpen session Friday and expects to be available for
Saturday's game.
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reserved.]
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