O’Hoppe, Grichuk provide key home runs in Angels’ 6-2 victory over Guardians

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This article was published 09/09/2023 (1084 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Logan O’Hoppe and Randal Grichuk homered, Tyler Anderson earned his second win since the All-Star break and the Los Angeles Angels defeated the Cleveland Guardians 6-2 on Saturday night.

The teams combined for 11 hits, with six going out of the park — including four by the Angels, who were missing Shohei Ohtani for the sixth straight game due to a strained right oblique.

“A lot of good at-bats and good baseball today,” manager Phil Nevin said.

Brett Phillips and Matt Thaiss had solo shots for the Angels, who won for just the second time in nine September games.. Three of the homers came off Cleveland starter Lucas Giolito (7-13), claimed by the Guardians on Aug. 31 after he was put on waivers by the Angels.

José Ramírez and Josh Naylor went deep for the Guardians, who have dropped two of three in the four-game series.

“Kind of a weird night. We didn’t have a lot of hits and two of ours left the ballpark,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said.

Anderson (6-6) worked a season-high eight innings and allowed only two runs on four hits with four strikeouts. After Naylor’s homer to right-center tied the game at 2 in the third, the left-hander permitted just two more baserunners.

Anderson retired nine straight batters before Ramírez singled with two outs in the eighth.

“It was a great performance. He threw a lot of quality pitches and was efficient,” Nevin said.

O’Hoppe homered in back-to-back games for the first time in his career with a two-run shot in the first to put the Angels up 2-1. Grichuk provided some breathing room with a two-run homer down the right-field line in the eighth.

“Something clicked in that first home run yesterday and I’m just trying to build off that,” said O’Hoppe, who missed four months earlier this season due to a left shoulder injury. “I feel like I can play like that consistently. It is just a matter of finding that feeling and going off that.”

Phillips hit a shot to right leading off the third. It was his first homer since July 17, 2022, with Tampa Bay. Thaiss went deep for the second time in his last six games in the fourth.

Ramírez, the second batter of the game, put Cleveland up with a solo shot to center. It was his seventh homer in his last 22 games against the Angels. It also was his 214th with the Guardians, which tied him with Andre Thornton for eighth in franchise history.

TOUGH STRETCH

It was the fourth time in his last 10 starts that Giolito allowed three homers. He has given up 36 this season, second-most in the majors.

In those 10 starts since the All-Star break, the right-hander has gone 1-7 with an 8.06 ERA. Two of those starts were with the White Sox before he was traded to the Angels. He pitched six games for the Halos before going on waivers and has made two starts with Cleveland.

“Unfortunately, my mistakes continue to get punished pretty severely with the home runs. Just got to tune up the fastball command. I think that will really help as far as limiting the damage,” Giolito said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Guardians: RF Ramon Laureano jammed his thumb while chasing Grichuk’s homer into the right-field corner. … Francona said the team is waiting to see how right-handers Triston McKenzie (right elbow sprain) and Shane Bieber (right elbow inflammation) come out of their bullpen sessions before scheduling rehab assignments.

Angels: INF Luis Rengifo is done for the season after being placed on the injured list due to a right biceps tendon rupture. … 1B Nolan Schanuel got the night off due to shoulder soreness.

UP NEXT

A matchup of rookies in the series finale when Guardians RHP Tanner Bibee (10-3, 3.05 ERA) faces LHP Kenny Rosenberg (0-1, 5.54). Bibee is tied for the most wins among rookie pitchers in the majors and is third in strikeouts with 129.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb