Nelson hits two HRs, Halos take down Yanks in series finale
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Chris Nelson hit a pair of home runs, including a game-breaking grand slam in the eighth inning, and drove in a career-high five as Los Angeles topped New York, 8-4, in the finale of a four-game set.
Hank Conger, J.B. Shuck and Josh Hamilton knocked in a run apiece for the Angels, who avoided their first four-game sweep against their foes since 1994.
C.J. Wilson (13-6) worked 6 2/3 innings thanks to a season-high 124 pitches, allowing 11 hits but only one run for the win, his fifth straight positive decision.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We'll take any wins we can get right now," Wilson said. "I was lucky to give up mostly singles and that prevented them from having the big innings."
Alfonso Soriano continued his hot hand, going 4-for-5 with an RBI for the Yankees, whose four-game win streak came to a halt. Vernon Wells added a late two-run double, and Robinson Cano totaled three hits and a run-scoring single in defeat.
"When you're a competitor and you win the first three, you'd love to take the whole series, but C.J. threw the ball well and they swung the bats well," Wells said of the Yankees failing to finish off the sweep.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Phil Hughes (4-12) lasted six full frames, charged with six hits and three runs.
The visitors broke open the game in their second-to-last turn at the plate. Mike Trout began with a double and Shawn Kelley was spelled by Boone Logan, who retired the next two batters. Trumbo was given a free pass, then stole second ahead of a walk to Conger which loaded the bases.
Nelson cleared the wall in left center with his second blast of the game and first career grand slam to give the Angels a 7-1 edge. Joba Chamberlain then gave up a double to Grant Green and Shuck's run-scoring hit for a seven-run Los Angeles spread.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The hosts prolonged the inevitable in the bottom of the ninth, sending home three thanks to Cano's RBI hit and Wells' two-run double which cut their final margin of defeat to four.
The Halos picked up a run in the first as Shuck singled, stole second and scored on Josh Hamilton's two-out base hit.
New York hit the scoreboard in the third, when Brett Gardner stroked a one-out triple and came in when Soriano followed with a base hit.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Erick Aybar began the fourth with a double, advanced on a passed ball and scored when Conger lifted a fly to left. Nelson then cleared the wall in right for a 3-1 game.
The Yanks stranded two in the home half, then left Cano on third in the fifth, and paid for it later in the contest.
Game Notes
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Nelson spent 10 games earlier in the season with New York, hitting .222 with two doubles and two RBI. His previous single-game RBI mark was three, last accomplished on Sept. 9, 2012 against Philadelphia for Colorado ... Los Angeles completed its seven-game road swing with a 3-4 record, while New York concluded its seven-game homestand at 5-2 ... Last time the Angels were swept in a four-game series against the Yanks was from July 21-24, 1994 in Anaheim... Prior to the game, the Yankees transferred pitcher David Phelps from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL, selected the contract of pitcher David Huff from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and optioned pitcher Dellin Betances to Scranton.