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Mike Trout homered for the fifth time in the five-game series and Angels beat the Seattle Mariners 4-0 Sunday.
Trout hit two home runs in the series opener and one in each of the final three games. The five home runs tied the record for any player in a single series against the Mariners, along with George Bell in 1987 and Boston’s Trevor Story earlier this season.
Trout’s two-run drive in the fourth inning was his 52nd career homer against Seattle, matching Rafael Palmeiro for the most by any player off the Mariners.
The Angels won four of five against Seattle. Prior to this series, the Angels had lost 18 of the previous 20 games, including a 14-game losing streak.
“It’s big for us,” Trout said. “Obviously to do that after that skid we had last week, it’s good to win some games.”
The three-time AL MVP homered on the ninth pitch of the at-bat, all fastballs. He worked a full count before connecting.
“You go up and throw whatever you want to throw. When he’s locked in like that, usually in four, five at-bats he’s going to get into one,” Angels manager Phil Nevin said. “What he did this weekend was impressive. Not to mention playing each inning of every game, made some great plays in center field, and obviously, the big home runs each day.”
Trout has 21 homers this season, four behind major league leader Aaron Judge of the Yankees.
“They talk about a guy carrying a team or whatever, it’s just uplifting for the whole group to see their guy that we can lean on,” Nevin said. “It’s not going to always be him, but this weekend it certainly was.”
Max Stassi added an RBI double for the Angels.
Kenny Rosenberg was called up from triple-A Salt Lake City by the Angels to make his first career start and third major league appearance. The left-hander held the Mariners to two hits in 4 2/3 innings.
“He had great stuff today,” Trout said. “He kept everyone off balance.”
Andrew Wantz (1-0) got the win, pitching the sixth inning with two strikeouts. Six Angels pitchers combined on a two-hitter.
“When it rains it pours. We’re in a slump right now. We’ve not played good baseball,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “Not being able to get anything going offensively again remains our issue and our problem that we have to solve.”
Logan Gilbert (7-3) gave up two runs and four hits in six innings.
The Mariners loaded the bases in the fourth on two walks and a single by J.P. Crawford, but Cal Raleigh grounded out.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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