Trout answers Carew's call with first homer of '19

ANAHEIM -- With Mike Trout at the plate in the third inning of Thursday’s 11-4 loss to the Rangers in the Angels’ home opener, Hall of Famer Rod Carew was asked on the broadcast if Trout reminded him of anybody from his playing days during his illustrious 19-year career.

Carew, a seven-time batting champion who was at the ballpark as part of a celebration of the 1979 American League West champs, quickly answered that he’s never seen anybody like Trout. And just moments later, Trout crushed his first homer of the season on a changeup below the zone from Rangers veteran Edinson Volquez.

"He's in a class of his own,” Carew said. “He has fun and always has a smile on his face. He always knows, 'I got this guy or I got that guy.' That's the way he goes about playing the game."

Trout, playing in his first home game since signing a 12-year extension worth $426.5 million, did it all on Thursday, especially during a third inning that featured both his defensive prowess and prodigious power.

In the top of the frame, Trout threw out Ronald Guzman at home as he tried to score from second on Logan Forsythe’s single to center. That helped right-hander Matt Harvey, who otherwise had a forgettable night, allowing eight runs on 10 hits over four-plus innings. Trout’s throw home was 96.4 mph, per Statcast, and easily beat Guzman to the plate.

“When you start throwing guys out, it just changes the player you are in the outfield,” Trout said. “Guys start seeing it, teams start seeing it. It's the practice you put in, the hard work. Me and Kole [Calhoun] throw a lot. Obviously Kole's got an unbelievable arm, and I see that and we work hard every day doing it."

Trout’s power was on display in the bottom half of the inning, as he walloped a solo shot that left the bat at 110.8 mph and traveled a projected 422 feet to center. It came after he scorched a single to left in his first at-bat that had an exit velocity of 108.9 mph, but it was just the third homer of the season for the Angels.

"Just looking for a pitch to hit, and I got it,” Trout said. “I felt good up there tonight, had some good swings.”

Calhoun has the Angels' other two home runs this season, including a homer off Volquez in the first inning that was the first leadoff homer in a home opener in club history.

"We're battling, all of us," Trout said. "We had a lot of good at-bats, hit the ball hard. Had our chances to score some runs, just fell short. Turn the page and try to win a game tomorrow."

Harvey struggles

Harvey got the nod in the home opener but couldn’t build on his strong Angels debut in Oakland, as he was hit hard from the get-go, including a five-run first that saw Joey Gallo smack a three-run homer and Guzman connect on a two-run shot off the right-field foul pole that was awarded after a review.

"Everything was up," Harvey said. "Not a good first one of the year, but I'll be mad for the next 24 hours and get back to work tomorrow."

Harvey gave up another run in the third -- and would’ve allowed a second if not for Trout’s perfect throw home -- before running into trouble in the fifth. He gave up a leadoff single and a walk before being relieved by Luke Bard, who allowed both inherited runners to score on a bases-clearing bloop double to left from Shin-Soo Choo. Harvey’s subpar outing dropped the Angels to 1-6, which is the franchise’s worst start since it went 1-8 as an expansion team in 1961.

“A tough start is the best way to put it,” manager Brad Ausmus said of Harvey’s outing, but also summing up the Angels’ season so far. “His stuff was actually good, but the command was where he got hurt early. Command of the fastball is what hurt him the most early.”