Kole Calhoun’s hot streak lifts Angels in win over Boston

The Boston Red Sox reduced Mike Trout to a mere mortal Saturday night, holding the hot-hitting Angels center fielder hitless with two strikeouts and a double-play grounder in four at-bats.

But a pair of misplaced Rick Porcello pitches breathed plenty of life into the bat of Kole Calhoun, who ripped a pair of solo home runs to right field for the first multi-homer game of his career help the Angels to a 3-0 victory.

“Kole is one of those guys we count on,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “He got it done tonight. Mike got it done last night. Kole is a really important part of our lineup hitting in front of Mike. Not only when he drives the ball like he did tonight, but when he gets on base for those guys.”

Calhoun’s first homer came on a 3-and-1 fastball that was right over the middle of the plate. It was driven into the right-field seats for Calhoun’s 11th homer of the season.

The second came in the fifth inning, on a 2-0 pitch that looked a little low, but Calhoun went down and got it, sending it into the right-field seats for his 12th home run.

“It was two fastballs,” Calhoun said. “I got into some hitters’ counts, got some pitches and just didn’t miss them.”

Calhoun also singled in the seventh and is batting .311 (17 for 48) with four homers, five doubles and 13 runs batted in over his last 11 games.

“I don’t know what the exact numbers are, but I’ve been swinging the bat well,” Calhoun said. “It’s been a good month so far, and I’ve just got to keep it going.”
Hard-knock win

Reliever Joe Smith had an inkling something bad might happen as he released his first pitch to Mike Napoli in the ninth inning Friday night.

“When I loaded to go the plate, his leg was in the air and I swear his tongue was out like he wanted to kill this ball,” Smith said. “I was like, ‘Oh man, if I throw it down the middle, he’s swinging, let’s see what happens.’ He hit it to [shortstop Erick] Aybar, so that was good.”

Smith was being facetious. Napoli’s wicked line drive hit the outside of Smith’s right shin before caroming to Aybar, who fielded the ball and threw to first. The out enabled Smith to notch a win when Trout hit a walk-off homer, but he was lucky it didn’t send him to the disabled list. Smith suffered a bruise but was OK to pitch Saturday, warming up briefly in the eighth.

“I don’t think I was going to throw another pitch [Friday],” Smith said. “My foot went numb, and it was pretty sore afterward. But I feel good today.”
mike.digiovanna@latimes.com