MINNEAPOLIS—Mike Trout had three hits, including his 37th homer of the season, and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Minnesota Twins 10–3 on Sept. 25.
Trout also doubled twice, walked and scored three runs. Shohei Ohtani had two hits, including an RBI single in the ninth that keyed a five-run rally that broke open the game.
“I’m just trying to finish strong. We have nine games left and just trying to finish strong,” said Trout, who missed more than a month due to injury but still has a shot at hitting 40 home runs for the third time in his career.
Ohtani’s RBI was his 93rd of the season, giving him an outside chance at driving in 100 runs for the second straight year.
“I would imagine nobody’s [driven] in 100 and done whatever he’s going to do on the mound,” Angels manager Phil Nevin said. “I'd love to see him get there.”
José Suarez (7–8) earned the win, allowing two runs on eight hits with six strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings.
Carlos Correa doubled twice and Jose Miranda went 2–for–4 with a run scored for the Twins, who have lost nine of their last 11. Catcher Caleb Hamilton homered in the eighth inning for his first major league hit.
“We couldn’t push enough across to get back in the game where we needed to be, and obviously at the end it got away from us,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “I thought we had good at-bats.”
The Angels jumped on Twins starter Dylan Bundy (8-8) early, as Trout doubled and Ohtani singled in the first. Trout scored on a throwing error, and Matt Thaiss drove in Ohtani with a single.
Trout hit a solo homer in the third, a long line drive to left field off Bundy’s sinker. Luis Rengifo added a two-run single in the fourth that ended Bundy’s outing.
The Angels finished with 16 hits, didn’t commit an error, and struck out 14 Twins batters. Nevin said that type of all-around play is what he’s hoping to see as the season winds down.
“It’s not just about numbers,” Nevin said. “We talk about Sho getting to 100 and Mike getting 40 and guys getting whatever numbers [but] we’re playing winning baseball. We’ve talked about it and guys have bought into it and that’s what I’m proudest of.”
Up Next
Angels: Kicking off their final homestand of the year on Tuesday, the Angels will send LHP Patrick Sandoval (6–9, 3.01 ERA) to face Oakland’s RHP James Kaprielian (4–9, 4.43).Twins: RHP Bailey Ober (1–3, 3.71) will face RHP Lance Lynn (7–6, 4.02) as Minnesota begins its final home series of the season on Tuesday against the White Sox.
