Ohtani hits MLB-best 25th homer, goes back-to-back with Trout, but Díaz rallies Rockies past Angels
Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout hit back-to-back homers at Coors Field, but Elias Díaz's go-ahead grand slam in the eighth inning rallied the Colorado Rockies past the Los Angeles Angels 7-4 on Friday night.
Jurickson Profar launched a leadoff homer for the Rockies, who snapped their longest losing streak of the season at eight games.
Díaz doubled and finished with three hits. His 426-foot drive to center field marked the first grand slam by a Rockies player since Díaz went deep in Philadelphia on Sept. 10, 2021.
Ohtani smashed his major league-leading 25th home run and was a triple shy of the cycle. He has at least one extra-base hit in 10 consecutive road games, a franchise record and the longest such streak in the majors since 2009.
Ohtani's tiebreaking solo shot in the fifth was followed by Trout's 16th of the season, giving Los Angeles a 4-2 lead. Both drives traveled a projected 434 feet.
It was the ninth time the two superstars have hit back-to-back home runs, tying them for the most in team history with Trout and Albert Pujols.
Ezequiel Tovar trimmed it to 4-3 with an RBI single in the sixth.
Entering the night, the Rockies were 12-30 against the Angels — their worst record against any franchise.
Los Angeles had been 33-5 this season when leading after seven innings.
Elehuris Montero and Coco Montes also had three hits for Colorado. Montes entered with one hit in his past 21 at-bats.
Pierce Johnson (1-3) struck out three in a scoreless eighth for the win, and Justin Lawrence fanned two in a hitless ninth for his third save.
Sam Bachman (1-1) took the loss.
Díaz boosted his home batting average to .348 this season.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Angels: Manager Phil Nevin said 3B Anthony Rendon (bruised left wrist) felt "a lot better" after leaving his wrist alone Thursday. Rendon was placed on the 10-day injured list Monday.
UP NEXT
Rockies RHP Chase Anderson (0-1, 4.12 ERA) faces RHP Griffin Canning (5-2, 4.40) in the second game of the series Saturday.