The Los Angeles Angels had everything go right in Kurt Suzuki's debut as manager, as Mike Trout homered in the 3-0 win.
The Los Angeles Angels made the debut of new manager Kurt Suzuki a success as they rode a Mike Trout home run and six shutout innings from starter Jose Soriano to a 3-0 win against the Houston Astros on Opening Day.
Trout has been on the comeback trail since spring training started, and he played center field in this game, plus he broke open a scoreless pitcher’s duel in the top of the seventh with his game-changing blast. That made starter Jose Soriano a winner as Suzuki manipulated four relievers to complete the shutout, with Jordan Romano getting the save in his Angels' debut.
It was a remarkable opener for a team that basically appeared to be bumbling its way through spring training, but it turned out that Suzuki knew exactly what he was doing, at least he did on this particular day. The relievers were Walbert Urena, who wasn’t expected to make the team when camp opens, followed by Chase Silseth, then newcomers Drew Pomeranz and Romano to finish.
The Angels padded their 1-0 lead after Trout’s homer with single runs in the eighth and ninth. The second run came on a single by Oswald Peraza, who started at second base after prospect Christian Moore was demoted in camp, with his hit scoring outfielder Jo Adell. The final run came in the ninth on a Nolan Schanuel home run that followed a three-strikeout day for the first baseman.
The Astros did nothing offensively, managing just three hits against Soriano and the four relievers. Astros ace Hunter Brown matched Soriano through 4-2/3 innings, but Brown also walked four while striking out nine, which drove his pitch count up over 100 and led to his early exit.
Reliever AJ Blubaugh ended up taking the loss after giving up the Trout home run, but there are dozens of other pitchers who have suffered that same fate. Trout also stole a base and walked three times, lending credence to the possibility that his sprinter’s speed might have returned for good.
The Angels also played error-free defense, although one thing that was familiar was that the Halos struck out 14 times, which was one thing that was sadly familiar to Angels fans.
One unusual event that nearly changed the course of this one was a towering drive by Houston DH Yordan Alvarez in the first inning that might have been a home run had it not hit a horizontal rafter in Daikin Park with the roof closed for this particular game.
The series continues tomorrow night as Yukei Kikuchi gets the start for the Angels against Mike Burrows for the Astros.