Kevin Newman and Luis Rengifo hit two-run homers and Taylor Ward added a solo shot on Monday, leading the Los Angeles Angels to a 6-4 victory over the Texas Rangers in the opener of a three-game series at Anaheim, Calif.
Gustavo Campero went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases and a run for the Angels, who snapped the Rangers’ six-game winning streak by logging their third victory in four games.
Los Angeles reliever Connor Brogdon (2-1) allowed one run on two hits over 1 1/3 innings, and Kenley Jansen pitched 1 1/3 innings of hitless, scoreless relief to notch his 19th save.
Josh Jung homered and Josh Smith tripled and scored for Texas, which took just its second loss in 10 games. Jacob deGrom (10-3) gave up a season-high five runs on seven hits over 5 1/3 innings while striking out eight and walking one. It was deGrom’s first loss since he dropped a 2-1 decision to the Toronto Blue Jays on May 26.
Los Angeles took a 2-0 lead in the third inning when Rengifo bounced a single to right and scored one out later on Newman’s second home run of the season, a 409-foot drive to left-center.
Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz, who gave up eight runs on eight hits in 2 2/3 innings in a 11-4 loss to the Rangers on July 10, began the game with 4 2/3 no-hit innings before allowing a triple into the right field corner by Smith.
Kochanowicz, who walked six, then intentionally walked Corey Seager and then walked Marcus Semien. It looked as if he would get out of the bases-loaded jam when Adolis Garcia hit a routine fly ball to right. However, Campero had the ball hit the heel of his glove and dropped it, allowing both Smith and Seager to score to tie it, 2-2.
Brogdon then came on to strike out Joc Pederson to end the rally.
Los Angeles regained the lead 3-2 in bottom of the fifth on an RBI double by Zach Neto, but the Rangers tied it in the sixth on Jung’s 10th homer.
The Angels chased deGrom in the bottom of the sixth while building a 6-3 lead. Ward led off with his 25th home run, matching his career high, and one out later, Logan O’Hoppe doubled to end deGrom’s night. Rengifo then greeted reliever Jacob Webb with his fifth home run, a 377-foot drive to right.
Texas cut the deficit to 6-4 in the eighth when Evan Carter doubled and scored on a single by Jonah Heim.
–Field Level Media
