Angels at Red Sox
The Los Angeles Angels put a halt to a season-high eight-game losing streak in impressive fashion, as the beleaguered club benefited from a seven-run inning to post its first win on its nine-game road trip. The Angels aim to finish the trek on a positive note Sunday afternoon as they vie for a split of their four-game series against the Boston Red Sox.
Mike Trout ended a 21-game streak without a homer at Fenway Park with a two-run shot in the sixth inning before pushing in a run in a seven-run seventh to send Los Angeles to a 12-4 romp on Saturday. The two-time American League Most Valuable Player has five homers, seven RBIs and nine runs scored during a nine-game hitting streak as he heads into an encounter with Sunday starter Andrew Cashner, against whom he is 1-for-8 in his career. Reigning MVP Mookie Betts highlighted his third multi-hit performance in four games with an RBI double for Boston, which dropped below .500 at home (30-31). J.D. Martinez will bring a 10-game hitting streak (16-for-33, four homers, eight RBIs, nine runs scored) into Sunday's series finale versus rookie left-hander Patrick Sandoval.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, TBS, FS West (Los Angeles), NESN (Boston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels LH Patrick Sandoval (0-0, 3.60 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Andrew Cashner (10-7, 4.68)
Sandoval showed promise in his major-league debut, taking over for "opener" Taylor Cole and allowing two runs on three hits while striking out eight in five innings against Cincinnati. "That was an excellent first start. The results were there. He should be happy with the way he pitched," manager Brad Ausmus said of the 22-year-old. Sandoval's fastball topped out at 96 mph, helping him retire 12 of 14 batters during one stretch in his 96-pitch performance.
Cashner has sputtered out of the blocks since joining Boston, posting a 1-4 mark with a 7.53 ERA while yielding four runs or more in all but one of his five starts. The 32-year-old has struggled with the home run ball of late, as he was taken deep three times and surrendered six runs in 5 1/3 innings against Kansas City on Tuesday. Cashner, who has kept Justin Upton (2-for-15, five strikeouts) under wraps, sports a 1-0 mark with a 3.27 ERA in six career appearances (three starts) versus the Angels.
WALK-OFFS
1. Boston OF/1B Sam Travis has launched three homers in his last four games and scored one run in each of his last six.
2. Upton, who belted a three-run homer on Saturday, has nine RBIs in his last six contests.
3. Red Sox SS Xander Bogaerts is 1-for-12 with two strikeouts in the series.