Angels break team records for runs and hits in 25-1 blowout over Rockies
The Angels got started early and then kept piling on the runs. The only question was how many they’d finish with.
Mike Trout, Brandon Drury and Matt Thaiss hit homers on consecutive pitches to open a 13-run third inning and Mickey Moniak capped it with a two-run homer in the Angels’ record-setting 25-1 rout of the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night.
The Angels set franchise marks for runs, hits (28) and margin of victory in a game and tied team records for runs and homers with their huge third inning.
The margin of victory was tied for the third highest in the majors since 1900, behind Texas’s 30-3 victory over Baltimore in 2007 and Boston’s 29-4 victory over the St. Louis Browns in 1950.
“We were aggressive,” Angels manager Phil Nevin said. “We attacked pitches in the zone. Hitting gets contagious at times. Big boys get into something like that [in the third], it fires up the clubhouse.”
After the game, the Angels announced they had acquired veteran infielder Mike Moustakas from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for minor league pitcher Connor Van Scoyoc.
David Fletcher hit a three-run homer to cap an eight-run fourth as the Angels scored 21 runs on 17 hits in the third and fourth innings combined, sending 27 batters to the plate. Fletcher had three hits and five RBIs in his first game since being recalled from Salt Lake City.
“I don’t think I’ve seen anything like that, honestly,” Fletcher said. “Starting with three homers in a row, pretty unbelievable. Hopefully we saved some for tomorrow.”
Hunter Renfroe and Moniak each had five hits and four RBIs for the Angels, who ended a three-game skid in a big way. Moniak stumbled around second base on a liner to center field in the sixth inning or his second double likely would have been a triple for the cycle.
Seeking to replenish their injury-depleted infield, the Angels acquired switch-hitter Eduardo Escobar from the New York Mets for two minor league pitchers.
“Just one after the other, the quality of at-bats we had today — incredible,” Moniak said. “To be able to do that in that [third] inning and the whole game was what led to a historic day.”
Drury had three hits and four RBIs and Trout had three hits and an RBI. Both were replaced in the fifth with the game well in hand. Every Angels starter had at least one hit, one RBI and a run scored. Major league home run leader Shohei Ohtani had a mostly quiet night, though, finishing with an RBI single in seven at-bats.
Griffin Canning (6-2) gave up four hits in six scoreless innings while striking out seven with a walk. He has won his last four decisions.
“The highlight of the night for me was how Griff threw the ball,” Nevin said.
Trout, Drury and Thaiss homered on consecutive pitches in the third off Chase Anderson (0-2).
It was the second time Anderson has given up homers on three straight pitches. It happened while he was with Toronto on Sept. 17, 2020, when the Yankees’ Brett Gardner, DJ LeMahieu and Luke Voit went deep against him.
A judge ruled Bubba Harkins’ claim the Angels and MLB defamed him when they fired him for providing sticky substances can go to trial.
Ohtani’s RBI single knocked out Anderson with two outs in the third inning. Drury followed with a two-run single off Matt Carasiti before Renfroe hit a three-run triple and newly acquired Eduardo Escobar singled in a run before Moniak’s homer.
The 13-run third set a Rockies record for runs given up in an inning, and the 24 runs marked the second-most.
“It’s one game,” Colorado manager Bud Black said.
Brenton Doyle homered for Colorado in the eighth.
Angels infield remake
Escobar started at third base after being acquired in a trade with the New York Mets on Friday night. Meanwhile, Renfroe made his second career start (and fourth appearance) at first base and Fletcher started at shortstop after being recalled Saturday.
The Angels also optioned first baseman Jared Walsh and infielder Michael Stefanic to Salt Lake City. Walsh was hitting .119 with one homer in 28 games since joining the team May 20. The Angels also designated third baseman Kevin Padlo for assignment.
Injury update
Third baseman Anthony Rendon (left wrist contusion) played catch for the first time Saturday, but has yet to take batting practice. There’s no timetable for his return. Pitcher Matt Moore (right oblique strain) threw a 15-pitch simulated game and will be evaluated Sunday.
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