DENVER — It started innocently enough with the Angels creating some fun trivia, becoming the first team in nearly three years to hit back-to-back home runs on three pitches.
But it just got crazier and crazier from there for the Angels, who just couldn’t stop scoring against the Rockies. The three consecutive home runs sparked a 13-run third and the Angels added an eight-run fourth inning in a wild 25-1 win at Coors Field on Saturday that saw them set the club record for runs and hits (28) in a game. . The 24-point margin of victory was also the largest in franchise history and the third-largest by any club since 1900.
“We were aggressive, we attacked pitches in the area and hitting sometimes becomes contagious,” manager Phil Nevin said. “To be honest, we found some holes, but the big shots helped us add.”
Their previous record for runs scored was 24 against the Blue Jays in a 24–2 victory on August 25, 1979, while the previous record for hits was 26, which they accomplished twice. Their 13-run third also tied a franchise record set in 1997 and 1978. They also tied a club record with four home runs in the frame.
The Angels scored 23 runs in their first four innings, which was the third most in MLB history, behind only the Cubs (25) on August 25, 1922 and the Pirates (24) on June 6, 1894 And their 21 runs over two straight innings is tied for the most in MLB history with those 1,894 Pirates.
But Nevin tried to avoid gloating over the historic performance.
“I’m glad we came out swinging bats and everything, but it gets to a point where you don’t want to disrespect the game,” Nevin said. “Buddy Black and the people there are people I care about, so you don’t want this to get out of hand.”
Notable performances included Mickey Moniak and Hunter Renfroe, who both went 5 for 5. Moniak hit three doubles and a home run to tie the franchise record with four extra hits in a game. Moniak dropped a cycle-shy triple, and literally nearly fell on his way to second on a potential triple in the sixth that had his teammates in the dugout laughing.
“I got a little too excited,” Moniak said with a smile. “I don’t know if I tripped on the bag or on my cleats. Either way, that’s what it is. At least I’m healthy.
Superstar Mike Trout began the epic third-inning saga with a solo explosion on a 1-0 fastball from right-hander Chase Anderson to open the frame, before Brandon Drury followed with his own shot off a first-time cutter. throw.
Matt Thaiss then jumped all over a first pitch curveball for a dinger to give the Angels back-to-back home runs for the second time this season.
Nevin said he believes home runs got the Angels going, much like the boost the clubhouse received by trading for Eduardo Escobar on Friday and Mike Moustakas on Saturday.
“When the big boys get into something like that, it kinda fires up the clubhouse,” Nevin said. “This venue knows our GM is still working and getting coins to help us out when we lose coins right away. It shows that we are in this thing and all together.
It sparked a 13-run inning for the Angels, as Ward and Ohtani then added RBI singles. Drury also provided a two-run single and Renfroe scored three with a double. Escobar followed with an RBI single before Moniak landed a two-run homer to give the Angels a 15-0 lead.
“I don’t think I’ve ever participated in anything like this,” Moniak said. “It was just one after another, and the quality of the at-bats was unbelievable.”
The four homers in the inning tied an Angels franchise record, matching a feat also achieved on May 28, 2000 in Kansas City. David Fletcher fell short to finish the third, an inning that also saw the Angels rack up 10 hits and three walks.
The Angels backed up with an eight-run fourth, scored by a three-run homer from Fletcher, before tacking on another run in the sixth and one more in the eighth. Fletcher had started the scoring with a two-run single in the second inning.
Perhaps lost in the shuffle, right-hander Griffin Canning threw six scoreless innings with seven strikeouts, and the only run allowed by the Angels on the night was a Brenton Doyle solo homer against left-hander Kolton Ingram in the eighth. .
“The highlight of the night for me was the way Griffin threw the ball,” Nevin said. “He threw a hell of a game, and those can get away from you too.”