| Scoreboard | ||||||||||||
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| L.A. Angels (56-47) « | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 16 | 0 |
| Texas (59-42) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 12 | 0 |
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Kendrys Morales broke out of a slump in a big way.
He hit a home run from both sides of the plate during a nine-run sixth inning, capping the burst with a grand slam that sent the Los Angeles Angels romping past the Texas Rangers 15-8 on Monday night.
"I'm very excited since it's not an easy thing to do," said Morales, a Cuban native who spoke through an interpreter. "They were good pitches, perhaps mistakes they made. I felt comfortable, and I was able to connect."
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Morales became the third switch-hitter in major league history to homer as a lefty and righty in the same inning. Carlos Baerga did it for Cleveland in 1993 and Mark Bellhorn of the Chicago Cubs duplicated the feat in 2002.
The Angels won the opener of the four-game series and closed within four games of AL West-leading Texas.
Morales connected for a two-run shot in the sixth as a lefty off Texas starter Roy Oswalt that put the Angels ahead 5-3. Morales then hit a grand slam off Robbie Ross from the right side.
Morales became the 25th player in AL history to hit two home runs in the same inning.
"We need Kendrys and his last 100 at-bats he hasn't been driving the ball or swinging like he can, so it's good to see," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.
Mike Trout had a home run, four RBI and scored three times for the Angels. Maicer Izturis also connected and Albert Pujols doubled twice and singled.
Josh Hamilton hit his 29th home run, doubled and singled for Texas. Nelson Cruz and Mike Napoli also hit home runs for the Rangers.
Ervin Santana (5-10) gave up three runs and four hits over five innings. Oswalt (3-2) was chased in the sixth, and allowed eight runs and 11 hits.
The Angels ended a 24-inning scoreless drought when Izturis hit a solo homer in the second. Trout added a two-run shot in the third.
"We struggled over the weekend for sure," Scioscia said. "You're not going to have it clicking every night. but it's good when it happens."
It was 3-3 when the Angels broke loose in the sixth. Pujols led off with a double, Morales connected and Los Angeles hit five consecutive singles with one out.
After Trout's two-run single, Torii Hunter struck out and Pujols was intentionally walked to again load the bases. Morales followed with his 11th home run of the season for a 12-3 lead.
The last big leaguer with six RBI in an inning was Juan Uribe of the San Francisco Giants in 2010 at Wrigley Field against Chicago.
The Rangers were in the midst of an 0-for-29 slump with runners in scoring position before converting on their first two opportunities of the game.
"The offense woke up a little bit tonight," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "Up until the sixth inning it was a very competitive game."
Texas scored twice in the second on the first of two sacrifice flies by Michael Young and David Murphy's RBI double.
Notes
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| Teammates congratulate Kendrys Morales (center), who hits homers from both sides of the plate in the same inning. (Getty Images) |
| Players of the Game |
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| Los Angeles Angels | ||||||||
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
| Mike Trout, LF | 5 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .351 |
| Torii Hunter, RF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | .284 |
| Albert Pujols, 1B | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .282 |
| Andrew Romine, SS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .667 |
| Kendrys Morales, DH | 5 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 4 | .271 |
| Alberto Callaspo, 3B | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .244 |
| Howard Kendrick, 2B-1B | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .276 |
| Maicer Izturis, SS-2B | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .242 |
| Peter Bourjos, CF | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .228 |
| Bobby Wilson, C | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .234 |
| Totals | 42 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 4 | 9 | ||
| Batting | ||||||||
| 2B - Albert Pujols 2 (28, Oswalt, Oswalt) | ||||||||
| HR - Mike Trout (17, Oswalt), Kendrys Morales 2 (11, Oswalt, Ross), Maicer Izturis (2, Oswalt) | ||||||||
| RBI - Mike Trout 4 (53), Torii Hunter (45), Albert Pujols 2 (65), Kendrys Morales 6 (45), Maicer Izturis (15), Bobby Wilson (10) | ||||||||
| 2-OUT RBI - Torii Hunter (18), Albert Pujols 2 (20), Kendrys Morales 4 (21), Maicer Izturis (3) | ||||||||
| SB - Torii Hunter (5, 2nd base off Oswalt/Napoli) | ||||||||
| CS - Howard Kendrick (6, 2nd base by Oswalt/Napoli) | ||||||||
| Team LOB - 4 | ||||||||
| Los Angeles Angels | ||||||||
| Pitchers | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
| Ervin Santana (W,5-10) | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5.97 |
| Jerome Williams (S,1) | 4 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4.82 |
| Pitches-Strikes - Ervin Santana 69-44, Jerome Williams 83-49 | ||||||||
| Ground Balls-Fly Balls - Ervin Santana 4-8, Jerome Williams 7-4 | ||||||||
| Batters Faced - Ervin Santana 20, Jerome Williams 21 | ||||||||
| Texas Rangers | ||||||||
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
| Ian Kinsler, 2B | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .272 |
| Elvis Andrus, SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .289 |
| Alberto Gonzalez, SS | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .241 |
| Adrian Beltre, 3B | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .314 |
| Brandon Snyder, PR-3B | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .281 |
| Nelson Cruz, RF | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .264 |
| Josh Hamilton, CF | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .288 |
| Craig Gentry, CF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .330 |
| Michael Young, DH | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .266 |
| David Murphy, LF | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .293 |
| Mike Napoli, C | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .228 |
| Mitch Moreland, 1B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .272 |
| Totals | 37 | 8 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 4 | ||
| Batting | ||||||||
| 2B - Nelson Cruz (27, Williams), Josh Hamilton (17, Santana), David Murphy (16, Santana) | ||||||||
| HR - Nelson Cruz (15, Williams), Josh Hamilton (29, Santana), Mike Napoli (17, Williams) | ||||||||
| SF - Michael Young 2 (5) | ||||||||
| RBI - Nelson Cruz 3 (63), Josh Hamilton (84), Michael Young 2 (42), David Murphy (34), Mike Napoli (38) | ||||||||
| 2-OUT RBI - Nelson Cruz 3 (31), Mike Napoli (9) | ||||||||
| Team LOB - 6 | ||||||||
| Fielding | ||||||||
| PB - Mike Napoli (8) | ||||||||
| Texas Rangers | ||||||||
| Pitchers | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
| Roy Oswalt (L,3-2) | 5.1 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 6.49 |
| Robbie Ross | 0.2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.78 |
| Michael Kirkman | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4.34 |
| IBB - Pujols by Robbie Ross, Trout by Michael Kirkman | ||||||||
| WP - Michael Kirkman (1) | ||||||||
| Pitches-Strikes - Roy Oswalt 95-64, Robbie Ross 21-11, Michael Kirkman 57-30 | ||||||||
| Ground Balls-Fly Balls - Roy Oswalt 7-4, Robbie Ross 1-0, Michael Kirkman 4-1 | ||||||||
| Batters Faced - Roy Oswalt 26, Robbie Ross 6, Michael Kirkman 14 | ||||||||
| Game Information |
| Attendance - 36111 |
| Game Time - 3:06 |
| Temperature - 102 |
| Umpires - Home - Mike DiMuro, First Base - Jim Reynolds, Second Base - James Hoye, Third Base - Jim Joyce |
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