Jared Walsh hit his first career grand slam during the Los Angeles Angels' seven-run fourth inning in an 8-5 victory over the Texas Rangers on Monday.
Max Stassi had a two-run single in the final home game of the fifth consecutive losing season for the Angels (24-31), who have nevertheless won 12 of 18 overall after taking three of four from Texas.
Walsh extended his hitting streak to 13 games when he mashed a sinker from Kyle Gibson (2-6) 450 feet over the ficus trees behind the center-field fence at the Big A. Walsh's eighth homer of the season was also the seventh in 12 games for the 27-year-old rookie, the AL's unlikely leader in slugging percentage in September.
Texas Rangers' Nick Solak (15) is safe at first base before a catch by Los Angeles Angels' Jared Walsh (25) during the second inning of a baseball game Monday, Sept. 21, 2020, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP PhotoAshley Landis)
Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Derek Dietrich homered for the last-place Rangers, who have lost five of seven.
Mike Mayers got six outs to earn his first save with the Angels and the second of his five-year major league career.
The home finale was one of the last milestones in another disappointing year for the Angels, whose streak of five straight losing seasons is the franchise's longest such stretch since the 1970s. The big-budget Halos haven’t been to the playoffs since 2014 in the ostensible prime of three-time AL MVP Mike Trout, who tripled in the seventh.
Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Dylan Bundy throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP PhotoAshley Landis)
Dylan Bundy (6-3) allowed three runs over five inconsistent innings, but still bounced back from his shortest start of the season with another win.
Kiner-Falefa connected on Bundy's 11th pitch, giving a first-inning homer to the Rangers in their third straight game. That's the longest such streak for Texas since September 2004.
Texas added another run in the second when Anderson Tejeda's ground ball ricocheted off first base and past Walsh for a fortunate RBI double, and another in the third on Nick Solak's RBI single.
Texas Rangers' Isiah Kiner-Falefa hits a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP PhotoAshley Landis)
But Shohei Ohtani scored the Angels' first run in the second inning, and he scored again on Stassi's bases-loaded single in the fourth. Andrelton Simmons put the Halos ahead with an RBI single moments before Walsh's grand slam.
Dietrich hit a two-run homer off Hoby Milner in the sixth.
RENDON TOSSED
Angels slugger Anthony Rendon was ejected by umpire Kyle McCrady in the seventh for arguing about a high called third strike.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rangers: 1B Ronald Guzmán didn't play because of a tight hamstring. ... C Jose Trevino is likely to miss the rest of the season with his sprained left wrist, manager Chris Woodward said. ... Woodward also hopes OF Shin-Soo Choo can return this week from his sprained right wrist.
UP NEXT
Rangers: Jordan Lyle (1-5, 7.07 ERA) takes the mound in a series opener at Arizona on Tuesday. The right-hander is coming off his first quality start for Texas.
Angels: Griffin Canning (1-3, 4.29 ERA) looks to build on his first win of the season when he starts the series opener at playoff-bound San Diego on Tuesday.
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