Trout hits another birthday HR in Angels' 8-4 win over O's
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Aug 7, 2015; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels pitching coach Mike Butcher (23) congratulates Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) for scoring against the Baltimore Orioles during the fourth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
ANAHEIM, Calif.
Mike Trout homered on his birthday for the third time in his career, and Chris Iannetta delivered a go-ahead, two-run double in the Los Angeles Angels' 8-4 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night.
After Trout was serenaded with a birthday song from the Angel Stadium outfield crowd in the first inning, the reigning AL MVP celebrated his 24th birthday by drilling his major league-leading 33rd homer over the fence in left-center in the bottom half.
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Trout also homered on his birthday in 2012 and 2013.
Pinch-hitter C.J. Cron hit a two-run homer in the seventh for the Angels, who trimmed Houston's lead in the AL West to 1 1/2 games with their third win in four games following a six-game skid.
Matt Wieters and Jonathan Schoop homered for the Orioles, who blew a 4-3 lead in the sixth for their third loss in five games.
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Trout's 131st career homer was his first of August and his first in six games, ending a 1-for-20 slump for the four-time All-Star. Only Eddie Mathews, Mel Ott and Ken Griffey Jr. hit more homers before their 24th birthday in major league history.
Trout went 2 for 3 with two walks, scoring two runs.
David Murphy, Johnny Giavotella and David DeJesus all drove in runs for the Angels.
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Iannetta boosted his average to .193 by coming through with a two-out, two-strike double off the wall in the sixth. He connected on the 98th pitch by Kevin Gausman (2-3), who gave up nine hits and six runs.
Rookie Andrew Heaney had his worst start for Los Angeles, yielding season-highs of 10 hits and four runs while getting chased in the sixth. The left-hander had won five of his first seven starts since joining the Angels' rotation in late June, never allowing more than two runs.
Schoop hit a two-run homer in the fourth, but Los Angeles evened it later in the inning with Murphy's first RBI for the Angels and Giavotella's tying double.
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Wieters connected in the sixth for his fifth homer, but Fernando Salas (2-1) stranded two Baltimore runners in scoring position by striking out Nolan Reimold.
DeJesus added an RBI single after Iannetta's clutch drive, improving to 2 for 22 with his new team.
Cron's homer went an estimated 456 feet on reliever Brad Brach's first pitch. It was the Angels' first pinch-hit homer of the season.
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TRAINER'S ROOM
Orioles: LHP Chris Tillman will return from resting his sore left ankle either Sunday or Monday.
Angels: RHP Jered Weaver is expected to return Sunday. He has been out since June 21 with inflammation in his left hip.
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UP NEXT
Orioles: Ubaldo Jimenez (8-7, 4.04 ERA) looks to rebound from a loss to Detroit.
Angels: Garrett Richards (11-8, 3.46 ERA) goes after his first career victory over Baltimore in his eighth appearance.