Trout sets Angels mark with HR in 6th straight game
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HOUSTON -- Mike Trout's second-inning homer in the 6-1 win over the Astros on Saturday night at Minute Maid Park put the three-time MVP in the record books, making him the first player in Angels history to homer in six consecutive games.
Trout is the first Major Leaguer to homer in six straight since Joey Votto homered in seven straight last season, and he's now two games shy of the all-time record held by Ken Griffey Jr., Don Mattingly and Dale Long.
“He’s the hottest man around,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “He is Mike Trout. The greats, you pitch them differently, and then they adjust, and [you] pitch them differently, and they readjust. He's a great player. It's not a sin, really, when Mike Trout gets you.
“... He's going to get everybody sooner or later. You just hope when he gets you, it's not a game-winner or there's not two men on base like there were today."
Entering Saturday as the active Major League career leader in OBP (.416) and slugging (.585), Trout holds numerous Angels franchise records, including the club’s all-time home run lead (344).
Trout had homered in four straight games twice (May 12-15, 2017, and April 4-7, 2019) before this recent run.
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The 12-year veteran seemed to have an uphill climb reaching the mark given his struggles in Houston, entering Saturday with a .207 career batting average and a .133 average this season at Minute Maid Park.
Trout, who tied the franchise record on Friday, broke the franchise mark when he sent a 93.1 mph fastball a Statcast-projected 361 feet to the Crawford boxes in left field for a three-run homer. The record was previously held by Bobby Bonds, who homered in five straight games from Aug. 2-7, 1977.
“It’s pretty cool to accomplish that,” Trout said. “I was just trying to prepare myself to make the right swing and time it. I have to take this momentum and keep it going the rest of the year.”
Saturday's homer was Trout's 34th of the year, and he now leads the Angels in home runs, breaking a tie with Shohei Ohtani.
“He’s been incredible to do what he has done,” Angels interim manager Phil Nevin said. “He’s still coming back from injury, but he is hot right now.”
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