DENVER – The Los Angeles Angels got started early and then kept piling on the runs. The only question was how many they'd finish with.
Mike Trout, Brandon Drury and Matt Thaiss hit homers on consecutive pitches to open a 13-run third inning and Mickey Moniak capped it win a two-run homer in the Angels’ record-setting 25-1 rout of the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night.
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The Angels set franchise marks for runs, hits (28) and margin of victory in a game and tied team records for runs and homers with their huge third inning.
The margin of victory was tied for the third-highest in the majors since 1900, behind Texas's 30-3 victory over Baltimore in 2007 and Boston's 29-4 victory over the St. Louis Browns in 1950.
“We were aggressive,” Angels manager Phil Nevin said. “We attacked pitches in the zone. Hitting gets contagious at times. Big boys get into something like that (in the third), it fires up the clubhouse."
David Fletcher hit a three-run homer to cap an eight-run fourth as the Angels scored 21 runs on 17 hits in the third and fourth innings combined, sending 27 batters to the plate. Fletcher had three hits and five RBIs in his first game since being recalled from Salt Lake City.
“I don't think I've seen anything like that, honestly,” Fletcher said. “Starting with three homers in a row, pretty unbelievable. Hopefully we saved some for tomorrow.”
Hunter Renfroe and Mickey Moniak each had five hits and four RBIs for the Angels, who ended a three-game skid in a big way. Moniak stumbled around second base on a liner to center field in the sixth inning or his second double likely would have been a triple for the cycle.
“Just one after the other, the quality of at-bats we had today — incredible," Moniak said. “To be able to do that in that (third) inning and the whole game was what led to a historic day.”
Drury had three hits and four RBIs and Trout had three hits and an RBI. Both were replaced in the fifth with the game well in hand. Every Angels starter had at least one hit, one RBI and a run scored. Major league home run leader Shohei Ohtani had a mostly quiet night, though, finishing with an RBI single in seven at-bats.
Griffin Canning (6-2) gave up four hits in six scoreless innings while striking out seven with a walk. He has won his last four decisions.
“The highlight of the night for me was how Griff threw the ball,” Nevin said.
Trout, Drury and Thaiss homered on consecutive pitches in the third off Chase Anderson (0-2).
It was the second time Anderson has given up homers on three straight pitches. It happened while he was with Toronto on Sept. 17, 2020, when the Yankees’ Brett Gardner, DJ LeMahieu and Luke Voit went deep against him.
Ohtani’s RBI single knocked out Anderson with two outs in the third inning. Drury followed with a two-run single off Matt Carasiti before Renfroe hit a three-run triple and newly acquired Eduardo Escobar singled in a run before Moniak’s homer.
The 13-run third set a Rockies record for runs given up in an inning, and the 24 runs marked the second-most.
“It’s one game,” Colorado manager Bud Black said.
Brenton Doyle homered for Colorado in the eighth.
INFIELD REMAKE
Escobar started at third base after being acquired in a trade with the New York Mets on Friday night. Meanwhile, Renfroe made his second career start (and fourth appearance) at first base and Fletcher started at shortstop after being recalled Saturday.
The Angels also optioned 1B Jared Walsh and IF Michael Stefanic to Salt Lake City. Walsh was hitting .119 with one homer in 28 games since joining the team May 20.
1B/3B Mike Moustakas will switch dugouts after being acquired by Los Angeles from Colorado for minor league pitcher Connor Van Scoyoc after the game. The Angels also designated 3B Kevin Padlo for assignment.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Angels: 3B Anthony Rendon (left wrist contusion) played catch for the first time Saturday, but has yet to take batting practice. There's no timetable for his return. ... LHP Matt Moore (right oblique strain) threw a 15-pitch simulated game and will be evaluated Sunday.
Rockies: OF Kris Bryant (left heel bruise) took batting practice and did running and fielding drills. “As much as I’d love to give you a timeline, I just can’t,” manager Bud Black said. … 1B C.J. Cron (back spasms) had a single and sacrifice fly and was hit by a pitch in three plate appearances as a DH in an Arizona Complex League game Saturday. The Rockies have not decided if a rehab assignment will be necessary.
UP NEXT
Angels LHP Tyler Anderson (4-1, 5.64 ERA) will oppose Colorado LHP Austin Gomber (4-7, 7.25) in the rubber game of the three-game series.
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