Luis Rengifo drove in four runs on three hits, including a three-run homer, as the visiting Los Angeles Angels outslugged the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday, 11-7, to complete a three-game sweep.
Matt Thaiss and Zach Neto each drove in two runs for the Angels, who won their fourth straight game and the seventh in their last nine. Rengifo also scored twice. Every Angels starting position player collected at least one hit as the team totaled 16.
Tommy Edman hit a three-run homer, and Willson Contreras and Paul Goldschmidt drove in two runs each for the Cardinals, who lost their sixth straight game and ninth in 10 games.
Angels starting pitcher Griffin Canning (2-0) allowed five runs on six hits and three walks in five innings.
Cardinals starting pitcher Jack Flaherty (2-4) allowed 10 runs on nine hits and one walk in 2 1/3 innings.
The Cardinals seized a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Lars Nootbaar singled, Nolan Arenado walked and Contreras lined a two-run double over the head of right fielder Hunter Renfroe.
The Angels surged ahead 4-2 in the second inning. Singles by Anthony Rendon, Taylor Ward and Thaiss produced one run, then Rengifo blasted his three-run homer. Ward finished 3-for-4 and Thaiss 3-for-5.
Los Angeles broke the game open while taking a 10-2 lead in the third inning. Shohei Ohtani and Renfroe hit singles, then Flaherty hit Rendon to load the bases.
Jake Lamb hit an RBI single, Ward lifted a sacrifice fly and Thaiss had an RBI single to make it 7-2. After Rengifo reached on an infield single, Jake Woodford relieved Flaherty and allowed Brett Phillips’ run-scoring single and Neto’s two-run single.
Rengifo’s sacrifice fly in the fourth inning pushed the Angels’ lead to 11-2.
The Cardinals cut their deficit to 11-5 in the fourth inning. Contreras doubled, Dylan Carlson walked and Edman belted his three-run homer.
St. Louis pulled within 11-7 in the sixth inning when Carlson walked, Nootbaar singled and Goldschmidt hit a two-run double.
–Field Level Media
