Kendrys Morales slugs two homers in Angels’ 15-8 win over Rangers

ARLINGTON, Texas — Kendrys Morales sent Angels public relations officials scurrying for the record books Monday night, hitting a two-run home run from the left side of the plate and a grand slam from the right side in a nine-run sixth inning to lead the Angels to a 15-8 victory over the Texas Rangers at the Ballpark in Arlington.

Morales became the third player in major league history to homer from both sides of the plate in one inning, joining the Chicago Cubs’ Mark Bellhorn, who accomplished the feat on Aug. 29, 2002, against Milwaukee, and Cleveland’s Carlos Baerga, who did it on April 8, 1993, against the New York Yankees.

His six runs batted in were a franchise record for RBIs in an inning and the most by a major leaguer since San Francisco’s Juan Uribe had six RBIs in the second inning against the Cubs on Sept. 23, 2010.

Morales became only the second player in Angels history to hit two homers in one inning, joining Rick Reichardt, who homered twice in one inning on April 30, 1966. It marked the 13th time the Angels have had a player hit home runs from both sides of the plate in a game.

And it seemed as though it came out of nowhere. Morales had one hit in 15 at-bats entering the game and struck out in his first two at-bats Monday night.

But with the score tied, 3-3, the Angels scoring on Maicer Izturis’ solo homer in the second and Mike Trout’s two-run shot in the third, Morales followed Albert Pujols’ leadoff double in the sixth by lining a two-run homer to right off Texas right-hander Roy Oswalt.

Consecutive one-out singles by Howie Kendrick, Izturis, Peter Bourjos, Bobby Wilson (RBI) and Trout (two RBIs) pushed the lead to 8-3.

After Torii Hunter struck out and Pujols was intentionally walked to load the bases, Morales drove a full-count pitch from left-hander Robbie Ross over the wall in right-center for a grand slam and a 12-3 lead. The nine runs were a season high in an inning for the Angels.

The outburst for an Angels team that was shut out twice by Tampa Bay over the weekend pulled the Angels to within four games of the Rangers in the American League West and helped make a winner of struggling right-hander Ervin Santana, who allowed three runs and four hits in five innings for his first win since June 16.

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