Mike Trout delivered a standout performance on Saturday night, leading the Los Angeles Angels to a 10-5 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Angel Stadium. The Angels entered the matchup as slight favorites with betting lines set around -115 for Los Angeles and +105 for Arizona, and the game total closed at 9.5 runs.
Trout played a pivotal role for the Angels, recording a two-run homer and a clutch two-run single to help secure the team’s second straight win. The home run, his 17th of the season, came in the fifth inning and was part of a multi-hit effort that brought his career totals to 395 home runs and 994 RBIs, edging him closer to two major career milestones. He later added his second hit of the night during a decisive four-run eighth inning, putting the game out of reach for Arizona.
Arizona’s Eugenio Suárez attempted to keep his team competitive, blasting two home runs off Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi. The first, a towering 434-foot shot into the center field rocks, opened the Diamondbacks’ scoring in the second inning. Suárez’s second homer came in the fourth, marking his 31st of the year and the sixth season he has surpassed the 30-home-run mark.
Kikuchi (4-6) battled through 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits. He was momentarily shaken in the sixth after being struck on his pitching shoulder by a line drive from Josh Naylor. Though he stayed in the game, he was lifted just two pitches after allowing a single to Randal Grichuk that trimmed the Angels’ lead to 6-3.
Arizona starter Zac Gallen (7-10) gave up six runs on eight hits over five innings, taking the loss. Gallen struggled in the fourth when the Angels strung together a series of extra-base hits, including doubles by Taylor Ward, Jo Adell, and Travis d’Arnaud to overcome a 2-1 deficit and take a 4-2 lead. Trout’s two-run blast in the next inning further widened the gap.
The Diamondbacks mounted a brief rally in the eighth inning, loading the bases with one out and scoring twice off Angels reliever José Fermin. However, the Angels countered immediately in the bottom half of the inning with consecutive run-scoring singles from Zach Neto, Nolan Schanuel, and Trout.
Andrew Saalfrank pitched two scoreless innings in relief for Arizona in his return to the majors. Saalfrank was reinstated after a year-long suspension for betting violations and was recently called up by Triple-A Reno.
The Angels improved to 47-48 with the win, moving within one game of an even .500 record. Arizona, meanwhile, dropped its third straight and fell to 46-50 on the season.
The series concludes on Sunday with right-hander José Soriano (6-6, 4.00 ERA) scheduled to start for the Angels. He will be opposed by Diamondbacks righty Merrill Kelly (7-5, 3.41 ERA), as both teams look to build momentum before heading into the season’s second half.