RADIO
Mike Trout blasted his 40th homer of the season on Tuesday as the Angels defeated the Houston Astros 4-3, climbing to within 2 1/2 games for the second AL Wild Card.
The home run came in the first inning on what was a two-run shot by Trout. It marked the first time in his stellar five-year career that he reached the 40-HR plateau. More importantly, the homer helped the Angels avoid losing ground on the Astros for that Wild Card spot.
It’s actually Trout’s worst season yet despite the record in home runs. The 24-year-old has a .293/.395/.584 batting line with 87 RBI, 95 runs and 10 SB, which is better than a good chunk of the league but low, according to his standards.
With only 11 games left on the season and their final game with the Astros on Wednesday, the Angels need go on a run if they want to sneak into the postseason. They currently trail the Texas Rangers by four games for the AL West crown. If they can stay at that number or closer, they will have a chance to win the division because they close the season with four games against the Rangers.
