Trout Exits Game With Thumb Injury As Indians Power Past Angels 8-3
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Francisco Lindor homered and drove in three runs in the first two innings, and the Cleveland Indians pounded another Angels starter in an 8-3 victory over Los Angeles on Sunday.
Carlos Santana hit two homers and drove in three more runs for the AL Central leaders, who took two of three at the Big A.
Mike Trout left the game in the eighth inning with a bruised right thumb after getting hit by a pitch from Cleveland reliever Tommy Hunter. X-rays showed no broken bones for the 2014 AL MVP.
Lindor's three hits included a solo shot in the first and a bases-loaded single during Cleveland's four-run second, chasing David Huff (0-2).
Danny Salazar (7-3) pitched three-hit ball into the sixth with eight strikeouts, earning his third victory in four starts.
Jefry Marte hit his third homer in five games for the Angels, but their starter couldn't escape the second inning for the second time in three games.
Los Angeles dropped back to a season-worst nine games below .500 (27-36). The Angels have lost six of seven in a season that's slipping away — and might include yet another injury.
Trout had a single and two walks before wincing in pain and eventually leaving after Hunter's inside pitch appeared to hit him in the right hand.
Huff, who made his major league debut with Cleveland in 2009, wasn't sharp in his second fill-in start in the Angels' injury-plagued rotation. The Southern California native yielded five hits and five runs while getting just five outs.
Injuries to Garrett Richards, Andrew Heaney, C.J. Wilson, Tyler Skaggs and Nick Tropeano have forced the team to use stopgaps like Huff while waiting for new signee Tim Lincecum's return to the majors, which could happen in the next week.
The Indians have won nine of 12 in June.
After missing one start with shoulder fatigue, Salazar returned in strong form. He didn't allow a hit until the fourth inning, striking out six of seven batters during one stretch.
Mike Napoli added a run-scoring single for Cleveland in the seventh, giving him 40 RBIs in 58 games against his former team.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Indians: 3B Juan Uribe left the field on a cart in the fourth inning with a testicular contusion after Trout's grounder hit him squarely in the groin.
Angels: Heaney and Richards will have MRI exams later this month to determine whether their torn elbow ligaments are healing without surgery, manager Mike Scioscia said.
UP NEXT
Indians: Carlos Carrasco (2-1, 3.48 ERA) takes the mound in the series opener at Kansas City, the final stop on this 10-game road trip.
Angels: Jered Weaver (5-5, 5.56 ERA) hopes to bounce back from a rough outing in New York when the Minnesota Twins visit the Big A.
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