Gallo stops slump, beats shift as Rangers top Angels 12-7

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This article was published 15/04/2019 (2682 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ARLINGTON, Texas – Joey Gallo clubbed one of his typical long balls to get the Texas Rangers even against the Los Angeles Angels.

The left-handed slugger’s tiebreaking single an inning later resonated even more in the Texas dugout.

Gallo grounded the go-ahead hit through the vacant spot at shortstop against the shift, helping the Rangers beat the Angels 12-7 on Monday night in Mike Trout’s return after the Los Angeles star missed three games with a groin injury.

“That was like the coolest thing I did all day there,” said Gallo, who had three hits after his average bottomed out at .167 on an 0-for-16 skid with a groundout in the first. “I don’t know how I did that. I’ll try to do that more.”

Throughout his five seasons in the big leagues, Gallo has faced all kinds of shifts, from four infielders on the right side to four men across the outfield. With a runner at third, Zack Cozart was close to his normal spot at third when the sharp grounder sped past him, well out of his reach.

“Everybody was so excited about it that he’s able to do that, especially on a fastball that’s up,” manager Chris Woodward said.

Gallo’s fifth homer was among the hardest-hit in the majors this season at 115.1 mph, a liner into the porch in right field off starter Trevor Cahill. The single against Cam Bedrosian sparked a four-run fifth, and he added a double in the eighth.

Trout, the designated hitter while the club waits a little longer before putting the two-time AL MVP back in centre field, went 0 for 2 with three walks. Trout scored twice, including on Brian Goodwin’s second homer , a two-run shot in a three-run first. Goodwin added a sacrifice fly.

The Rangers topped their previous season high of 11 runs and rallied from three down a day after erasing a five-run deficit in an 8-7 win over Oakland. Texas, which lost the last three of four in the Angels’ home-opening series two weekends ago, has trailed in six of its eight victories.

Shin-Soo Choo, who had three hits, homered leading off the third for his first of the season. Asdrubal Cabrera matched Gallo for the team lead with his fifth homer , a two-run shot for an 11-4 lead in the sixth.

Reliever Kyle Dowdy (1-0) earned his first major league victory, giving up one run on one hit in 2 2/3 innings. Closer Jose Leclerc was forced to come on for his fourth save, getting Cozart on a groundout after Kyle Bird hit a batter and walked two with two outs in the ninth.

Bedrosian (1-1) allowed five of the seven hitters he faced to reach, starting with Elvis Andrus’ leadoff double in the fifth. Two runs scored on Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s RBI single when right fielder Kole Calhoun’s throw home skipped past Kevan Smith, allowing Gallo to score.

Calhoun had three hits, capped by his third homer — a two-run shot in the eighth.

MORE SLOPPINESS

More LA sloppiness that didn’t result in an error helped Texas erase a 4-1 deficit in the third. With Danny Santana at third and one out after Choo’s homer, Nomar Mazara’s high popup near home landed between Albert Pujols and Smith, with the first baseman gesturing to his catcher that it should have been Smith’s ball. Mazara’s groundout scored Santana before Gallo homered.

“I think it was a tough sky at the time,” manager Brad Ausmus said. “I don’t think Kevan Smith saw it. Albert was playing back. Because of the left-handed hitter, he was almost in the outfield grass, so he had an extremely long way to go.”

FOR STARTERS

Cahill gave up five hits and four runs in four innings, his team losing to the Rangers for the first time in his past eight starts against them. Shelby Miller, coming off Tommy John surgery, went the deepest the right-hander has gone in three starts for Texas. He allowed six hits and four runs in 4 1/3 innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Angels: LHP Tyler Skaggs was placed on the 10-day injured list after spraining his left ankle in his start against the Cubs on Friday. Skaggs said he expects to be ready when he’s eligible to return. The Angels recalled RHPs Jaime Barria and John Curtiss from Triple-A Salt Lake City and sent down INF Taylor Ward.

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Angels: Barria (1-0, 3.38 ERA) was announced as the Tuesday starter after the game. The 22-year-old got the win as a reliever in his only appearance, a 4-2 win over Milwaukee last week.

Rangers: LHP Mike Minor (1-1, 3.86) has allowed two runs in 14 innings of past two starts and will be working on an extra day of rest. Minor didn’t face the Angels in the four-game series in Anaheim earlier this season.

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