Home-run happy Angels break out a ‘Troutani’ on the Athletics in blowout win
OAKLAND — The Japanese media have a term for Mike Troutand Shohei Ohtani, often using it when they combine for a big moment, like when the Angels stars hit home runs during the same game Sunday.
“Troutani? I like that,†Trout said after the Angels beat the Athletics 6-0 at RingCentral Coliseum.
In the opening series finale between the Angels and the A’s, fans got the first Troutani moment this season. It was the 23rd time Trout and Ohtani have hit home runs in the same game, and the sixth time they hit back-to-back home runs.
The Angels were already leading 3-0 by the time Trout stepped into the batter’s box against A’s starter Ken Waldichuk in the fifth inning. Trout hit a towering two-run shot directly into the green wall behind center field, the ball bouncing back onto the warning track.
Beginning in two weeks, the Angels will play 49 games in 52 days, with several matchups against the best teams in the American League.
He knew it was gone the moment the ball touched his bat.
“I hit that one pretty good,†Trout said. “You gotta break the ice. Once you break the ice, you just go. It’s good to get [the first home run] out of the way in the first series, take a win to Seattle.â€
The Angels fans in the crowd cheered and applauded as Trout rounded the bases. But he barely finished celebrating, donning the temporary home run celebration hat — a straw hat with a Golden State Warriors logo on it, which is expected to stay in Oakland — mere moments before it was needed again.
Ohtani homered on the first pitch to the same spot.
“I didn’t even have time to sit down,†Trout joked.
The run support backing the six shutout innings starter Tyler Anderson delivered, combined with the 13 runs the Angels scored Saturday, were a notable difference from their opening night loss. They mustered only one run in that game though manager Phil Nevin said he was not worried about the offense.
After the Angels’ win Sunday, Nevin explained how the offense has been able to produce the way it has.
“We swung the bats well, we’re swinging at the right pitches and that’s the thing,†Nevin said. “I like that we’re controlling the zone, keep hitting balls on the barrel and we’re gonna score a lot of runs.
“We’re deep. We want to be relentless, keep coming at you.â€
Oakland Athletics pitcher Shintaro Fujinami was once considered better than Angels star Shohei Ohtani. A lot has changed since their rivalry in Japan.
On Sunday, that run production started with rookie catcher Logan O’Hoppe, who knocked in the first three runs of the game in the top of the fourth inning with a home run. The home run, the first of his major league career, flew into the gap between the top of the green fence at the 362-foot mark and the bottom of the lowest stands in the outfield.
O’Hoppe didn’t know the hit would be a home run, but knew A’s left fielder Seth Brown wasn’t going to catch it.
“I actually didn’t even see the ball clear,†O’Hoppe said. “I just saw everybody stop and then I heard the dugout behind me.â€
Nearly everyone in the Angels dugout stood up straight to watch O’Hoppe’s shot. Ohtani and pitcher José Suarez were among the players who walked out of the rail-less dugout with their arms raised.
“‘Holy crap, I just hit my first homer.’ That was my first [thought],†O’Hoppe said.
O’Hoppe has six RBIs and driven in at least one run in all three games.
The last Angels’ player to do that? The first part of Troutani, in 2017.
Anderson gave up four hits, walked two and struck out four.
“I thought [my start] was good,†Anderson said. “We lost that first one here, so to come out today and get a series win is a big thing for us to try to get some momentum going forward.â€
The Angels head to Seattle for a three-game series with the Mariners. They have one off day after and then fly back to Anaheim for theirfirst homestand: three games against the Toronto Blue Jays and three with the Washington Nationals.
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