DENVER (AP) — Mike Trout hit his 400th career home run, Kyle Hendricks pitched seven innings and the Los Angeles Angels defeated the Colorado Rockies 3-0 on Saturday night.
Trout reached the milestone in the eighth inning when he hit a 485-foot solo homer to left-center field off Rockies reliever Jaden Hill to extend the Angels’ lead to 3-0.
The three-time American League MVP had just one home run in his previous 36 games.
Taylor Ward and Nolan Schanuel also homered for the Angels, who snapped an eight-game
losing streak. Ward’s home run was his 34th of the season, tying him for the 10th-most in the majors.
In his 300th career start, and his first since giving up a career-high nine earned runs in a Sept. 14 loss to the Seattle Mariners, Hendricks (8-10) allowed just three hits and struck out five batters with no walks. He has given up three or fewer earned runs in 13 of his past 18 starts.
Luis García earned his second save of the season after getting Jordan Beck to ground into a game-ending double play with the bases loaded.
Colorado starter Germán Márquez (3-15) pitched a strong game in which he gave up four hits and two earned runs while striking out five in a season-high seven innings.
Hunter Goodman had two of the Rockies’ five hits.
Ward’s solo homer in the second inning broke a scoreless tie and gave the Angels a lead they wouldn’t surrender.
With his benchmark home run, Trout has a batting average of .400 with six homers and 12 RBIs in 15 career games at Coors Field.
Colorado LHP Kyle Freeland (4-16, 5.14 ERA) will take on a yet-to-be-announced Angels starter on Sunday in the finale of the three-game series.
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