This story was originally published by Dead Spin
Zach Neto had three hits, including a two-run homer, as the Los Angeles Angels beat the Texas Rangers 7-2 on Wednesday to salvage the finale of a three-game series in Anaheim, Calif.
Neto scored twice and drove in three runs for the Angels, who had lost three in a row and eight of nine. Mickey Moniak hit a three-run homer to highlight Los Angeles’ four-run second inning.
Angels starter Griffin Canning couldn’t take advantage of a five-run cushion and was lifted after 4 1/3 innings. He allowed two runs and seven hits while striking out three and walking two.
Hans Crouse (1-0) relieved Canning with the bases loaded and one out in the fifth and struck out back-to-back batters. He threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings to earn his first major league win.
Hunter Strickland, Jose Marte and Carlos Estevez then combined to toss three innings of scoreless relief for Los Angeles.
Leody Taveras hit a two-run homer and Marcus Semien and Jonah Heim each had two hits for the Rangers, who were trying for their sixth straight win.
Texas starter Michael Lorenzen (5-5) allowed five runs and five hits in five innings. He struck out three and walked four.
Lorenzen was particularly wild in the second inning.
Logan O’Hoppe was thrown out stealing after getting hit by a pitch to start the frame, but Lorenzen walked the next two hitters before Neto capped a seven-pitch at-bat with a single to right. Brandon Drury initially stopped at third, but he continued home on a fielding error by right fielder Travis Jankowski to give the Angels a 1-0 lead.
Moniak then slammed a high fastball over the right field wall for a three-run homer and a 4-0 lead.
The Angels had runners on first and second with two out in the third when Neto grounded a double down the third base line, scoring Drury for a 5-0 edge.
The Rangers began to chip away at Canning in the fifth inning.
Heim dropped a single into center field and Taveras then lifted a full-count changeup over the fence in right-center field to cut the deficit to 5-2.
Texas loaded the bases with one out in both the fifth and seventh innings but couldn’t cut further into the lead before Neto went deep in the eighth to make it 7-2.
–Field Level Media
