Los Angeles Angels Walk Off With First Home Win, 5-4

Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

On a night when the Los Angeles Angels couldn’t bring runners home, it was New York Mets reliever Jeurys Familia that came through with the hit they needed. Familia loaded the bases in the 11^th inning and plunked Hank Conger in the ribs, giving the Halos a 5-4 victory.

The Angels first home win of the season wasn’t pretty; they were 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base. Entering the game, the Halos were 13^th in the American League with a .184 batting average with RISP.

Mike Trout put the Halos on the board with a solo shot in the first, his third round-tripper of the season. The next inning, Chris Iannetta showed signs of breaking out of his slump with a grounder up the middle that scored Howie Kendrick. The catcher showed patience at the plate unapparent all season, walking twice in four plate appearances.

J.B. Shuck’s only hit, a sixth inning two-run homer that narrowly cleared right field short wall, tied the game at 4-4 and gave Kendrick his second run. It was Shuck’s first game with the big club since being recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake.

Coming off his stellar performance against the Astros, Tyler Skaggs did just enough to keep the Mets at bay Friday. He labored through the first four innings, allowing four runs on seven hits, but showed the pinpoint control from that point forward. His 2.40 ERA is second among Angels starters, right behind Garrett Richards.

The ball bounced in New York’s direction early on as routine outs turned into base hits. Andrew Brown’s fourth inning single blooped in between Kole Calhoun and Howie Kendrick, and Curtis Granderson followed with a weak double to left field that would normally be a ground out to third were the Angels not playing him to pull.

Michael Kohn earns the win after the Angels’ bullpen shut out New York four consecutive innings. Four relievers combined to allow one hit while striking out five. They came in to the game with an AL high seven home runs allowed.