ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) – Several of Josh Hamilton’s former Angels teammates chatted with the slugger on the field during his first game back at the Big A, glad to see him happy and healthy with the Texas Rangers.
They just wished the slugger’s return hadn’t been quite so successful.
Hamilton doubled, singled and scored two runs in his first game back at Angel Stadium since the trade, and Texas got 7-plus outstanding innings of four-hit ball from Colby Lewis in a 4-2 victory over Los Angeles on Friday night.
Hamilton was jeered whenever he stepped to the plate or touched the ball at the stadium where he played the previous two seasons after signing a five-year, $125 million free-agent deal with the Angels. The former American League MVP was traded back to the Rangers three months ago following two dismal years in Orange County during which he profoundly frustrated Angels fans.
“The reaction from the crowd was exactly what I expected,” Hamilton said. “Wasn’t too bad. Wasn’t good, either.”
He handled it in stride, joking about the reception with Angels catcher Chris Iannetta at the plate.
“Everybody knew he was going to get booed,” said Angels star Mike Trout, who publicly supported Hamilton after the slugger’s latest struggle with sobriety led to the trade. “But we’ve turned the page over here, and he’s turned the page since he’s been over there. He’s in a new place, and I’m sure he’s happy over there.”
Trout hit his 29th homer to pull even with Albert Pujols in the AL home run race, and he also had a run-scoring single in the eighth for the Angels (54-42). They have lost two straight after winning 17 of their previous 20, allowing Houston (55-43) to pull virtually even atop the AL West.
Hamilton had just his second multi-hit game of July despite the frosty reception. He figured in both of the Rangers’ scoring rallies, with his double off the right-field wall starting the Rangers’ decisive three-run surge in the fifth.
“I think he handled it fine,” Texas manager Jeff Banister said. “He’s probably been booed in other stadiums before. He had a lot of energy, a smile on his face, and enjoyed the game.”
Robinson Chirinos drove in two runs for the Rangers, who jumped on Angels fill-in starter Nick Tropeano to win their third straight.
Lewis (10-4) shook off his dismal career history against the Angels to dominate their surging lineup, striking out nine while yielding only three infield singles and Trout’s solo homer in the fourth.
After retiring 15 of the first 17, Lewis gave up two singles leading off the sixth. He calmly struck out Kole Calhoun, Trout and Pujols, who have all hit superbly against Lewis in the past.
“The way he pitched, it was like night and day from when we saw him in Texas a couple of weeks ago,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said, recalling their 12 hits and 10 runs off Lewis on July 5. “He was ahead in the count, had a good slider working, and we weren’t able to pressure him. Mike got us on the board, but for the most part, any opportunities we had, he made some pitches for sure.”
Tropeano (1-1) pitched seven-hit ball into the seventh inning of his second start for the Angels. He retired 13 straight Rangers before the double by Hamilton, who scored from third after Tropeano’s pickoff throw to first got past C.J. Cron.
Trout delivered a two-out RBI single off Keone Kela in the eighth, but Pujols took a called third strike moments later with two runners on. Pujols went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts.
CHANGES
Tropeano was optioned back to Triple-A Salt Lake after the game to make room for infielder Conor Gillaspie, acquired from the White Sox earlier in the day. Gillaspie could get starts at third base while David Freese’s broken finger heals.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rangers: C Carlos Corporan (sprained thumb) took batting practice. He is expected to be activated next week.
Angels: RHP Jered Weaver won’t return early next month after missing the last month with a hip injury, but shouldn’t be out much longer.
UP NEXT
Rangers: Yovani Gallardo (7-9, 2.91 ERA) has lost three straight starts despite his tidy ERA.
Angels: Hector Santiago (7-4, 2.30 ERA) began the weekend with the AL’s third-best ERA.