Logan O’Hoppe drilled a three-run homer and Samuel Aldegheri recorded his first career victory as the Los Angeles Angels notched a 5-1 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday night at Arlington, Texas.
Nolan Schanuel added a run-scoring single for the Angels (59-82), who won for the fourth time in the past six games.
Aldegheri (1-1) gave up one run and three hits over six innings to become the first Italian-born pitcher to win a major league game since 1949. He struck out seven and walked three.
Hunter Strickland struck out two in a perfect seventh, Brock Burke gave up one hit in the eighth and Jose Quijada walked one in the ninth to wrap up the four-hitter for Los Angeles.
The setback was just the third in the past 11 games for the Rangers (68-74), who continue to languish well outside the American League playoff picture.
Adolis Garcia drove in the lone run for Texas.
The Angels scored twice in the third inning to take the early lead.
Brandon Drury and Niko Kavadas both singled and Taylor Ward walked to load the bases against Gerson Garabito (0-2). Zach Neto grounded into a double play to drive in Drury.
Walter Pennington entered and Schanuel greeted him with an RBI single to score Kavadas.
In the Los Angeles sixth, Anthony Rendon reached on an error by Texas third baseman Josh Jung and Mickey Moniak followed with a single to put runners on the corners.
O’Hoppe came up and slammed an 0-2 changeup from Jose Urena over the wall in left to make it a five-run margin. The 410-foot blast was O’Hoppe’s 19th of the season.
The Rangers got on the board in the bottom of the sixth as Wyatt Langford and Jung each singled and Garcia followed with a sacrifice fly to left to score Langford.
Garabito allowed two runs and three hits over 2 2/3 innings. He struck out one and walked one.
Drury had two of the Angels’ seven hits.
–Field Level Media