|
 Trout hit his first home run of the season, a two-run blast in the
sixth inning off A's ace Sonny Gray, lifting the Angels to a 4-1
victory at the Coliseum.
"Just my timing was right," Trout said. "That's where I get in
trouble, when I don't get that foot down. The last couple games,
it's been coming back. My timing's been good. I feel obviously
better at the plate."
Angels right-hander Nick Tropeano and Gray matched zeros for the
first five innings, but Los Angeles scored three times in the top of
the sixth, stringing three hits together.
Yunel Escobar doubled to right-center field with one out and scored
when Daniel Nava lined Gray's first-pitch fastball to center for a
single. Trout crushed Gray's next pitch, another fastball, deep over
the left field wall.
"There in the sixth, it was three pitches and they got three runs,"
Gray said. "They came back through the order a third time and were a
little more aggressive. Nava put a good swing on that pitch, and
Trout was the dagger for us. We couldn't come back.
"I thought it was a good sinker, but it sunk a little too much and
went right to his barrel. You can make good pitches and guys like
Trout can do some damage."
Trout has a history of taking the first pitch in most at-bats, but
this time he attacked early.
"He was throwing a lot of fastballs," Trout said. "He was working in
and out. If you get a pitch to hit, you can't miss it, especially
against him because he's going to put you away. He can throw all his
pitches for strikes."
Gray (1-1) gave up three runs on six hits over 6 1/3 innings. He
struck out six and walked three.
Tropeano (1-0) gave up six hits, struck out six and walked two in
five-plus scoreless innings. He started in place of left-hander
Andrew Heaney, who went on the 15-day disabled list last week due to
left forearm tightness.
Tropeano, who was called up from Triple-A Salt Lake on Thursday,
made his 12th career major league start and third against the A's.
Last year, he went 2-0 with a 0.71 ERA, 16 strikeouts and two walks
in two starts against Oakland.
"Nick did a great job," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "Had
really good stuff. Pitch count got a little bit elevated. He had to
work for every out, but when he got in some trouble, he made some
pitches to get out of it, and we played good defense behind him."
Coco Crisp went 2-for-5 with a triple, and Josh Reddick was 2-for-3
with a double for the A's.
Carlos Perez went 2-for-4 with a double for the Angels. Albert
Pujols singled, walked, scored a run and stole a base.
The Angels added a run in the eighth. Pujols lined a leadoff single
to center off reliever Liam Hendriks. Pujols stole second with one
out, catching Hendriks by surprise, moved to third on a groundout
and scored on Andrelton Simmons' bloop single.
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"He's still got wheels, man," Trout said of Pujols, who was at a
locker next to Trout's. "You can't just not look at him. He'll get
you."
The A's had a promising rally in the sixth but came up empty.
Stephen Vogt led off with a walk, and right-handed reliever Fernando
Salas replaced Tropeano, who threw 92 pitches. Vogt moved to second
on Jed Lowrie's single to left, but Khris Davis grounded into a
double play, and Yonder Alonso flied out to left.
Salas blanked the A's on one hit for 1 1/3 innings, and Jose Alvarez
gave up one hit over 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
The A's scored a run off Joe Smith in the ninth. Lowrie hit a
leadoff single, went to second on a groundout and raced home on
Marcus Semien's single to right with two outs.
Huston Street got the final out for his second save of the season.
"It came down to they got the big hits and the opportunities and we
didn't," A's manager Bob Melvin said.
NOTES: A's LHP Felix Doubront will undergo season-ending Tommy John
surgery on his left elbow Tuesday in Cincinnati, where he was
examined Monday by Dr. Timothy Kremchek. Doubront won the No. 5
starter's job but was injured in his final spring appearance. ...
Coco Crisp made his third straight start in center field Monday but
likely will get a day off Tuesday with Billy Burns taking his place,
A's manager Bob Melvin said. ... Angels LHP Greg Mahle was called up
from Triple-A Salt Lake, and RHP A.J. Achter was sent down to Salt
Lake. This marks Mahle's first call-up to the major leagues. Achter
made one relief appearance for the Angels, pitching a perfect
inning. Mahle pitched 1 2/3 perfect innings for Salt Lake. ...
Angels LF Daniel Nava, who sustained a lacerated left index finger
Friday vs. Texas, returned to the lineup against the A's. He
pinch-hit Saturday against the Rangers. ... Angels 1B/DH Albert
Pujols, who underwent offseason foot surgery, started at first base
for the first time this year in the regular season.
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