HOUSTON (AP) — Angel Star Mike Forel finished 0 for 11 with nine strikeouts in a three-game run and the Los Angeles-hitters fanned out a total of 20 times on Sunday when the Houston Astros won 4-2 to sweep.
Rookie Jeremy Peña homered twice, awarded with a two-run drive with two outs in the ninth inning Ryan Tepera (1-2) to win it.
Forel struckout seven in a row in the first two games. In the final, the three-time AL MVP reached base in his first at bat on an error by Pena at shortstop before striking out in his next two at bats.
Trout shot out in his last at bat to extend his slip to 0 for 14. He is having another strong season hitting .272 with 23 home runs and 47 RBI’s despite his second long slump of the year – he was the worst of his career 0 for 26 before ending that drought on June 6.
Trout was far from the only Angel to struggle at the plate, as Houston-starter Framber Valdez and three relievers tied the Major League-record for strikeouts in a nine-inning game. Twelve different Angels batters came to the plate and they all struckout at least once.
Valdez hit a career-high 13 in six innings, giving up two runs on three hits and five walks. Relievers Hector Neris and Rafael Montero each hit two in a scoreless inning and Ryan Pressly (2-2) fanned out three in the ninth.
There were several occasions when teams took out 20, including appearances from Max Scherzer, Roger Clemens and Kerry Wood. The Astros’ previous record was 18 in 1964 against Cincinnati.
Houston pitchers fanned out 47 in the series against the Angels.
Peña had four hits. In the ninth, Jose Altuve singled with two outs and Peña followed with his 11th homerun.
Peña hit a solo home run in the fourth off José Suárez.
Luis Rengifo homered in second in the Angels. Shohei Ohtani hit an RBI single in the third.
Altuve had an RBI single in the fifth to make it 2-all.
Catching coach Bill Haselman was the acting interim manager of the Angels on Sunday, while Ray Montgomery, who was the acting interim manager, and interim manager Phil Nevin served their suspensions for last week’s bench-clearing brawl with the Mariners. . Haselman will also manage Tuesday’s game, while Montgomery serves the second game of his suspension.
Sunday was the sixth game of Nevin’s 10-game suspension.
TRAINERS ROOM
Astros: LHP Parker Mushinski (elbow discomfort) pitched a live batting practice on Sunday. Manager Dusty Baker said he felt good after throwing 24 pitches, but they haven’t determined what the next step is for him yet.
ROSTER MOVES
The Angels selected the contract of 2B Michael Stefanic of Triple-A Salt Lake and appointed INF/OF Tyler Wade to the contract. Stefanic went 0 for 3 with three strikeouts in his Major League-debut before being relieved by Andrew Velazquez in the bottom of the sixth.
NEXT ONE
Astros: Houston opens a four-game series with Kansas City on Monday, but has yet to announce their rotation for the series.
Angels: Los Angeles is off Monday before Noah Syndergaard (5-6, 3.86 ERA) takes on Sandy Alcántara (8-3, 1.96) in the opener of a three-game series in Miami.
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