Trout reaches 3 times; Bernier collects 2 RBIs
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Michael Trout went 2-for-2 with a double and was hit by a pitch, but it was after he left that the Angels rallied for a 3-2 walk-off win over the Rangers on Wednesday at Tempe Diablo Stadium.
Trout, who also played five innings in center field, has reached base in all five of his plate appearances this spring.
Texas shortstop Doug Bernier's two-run, go-ahead double in the fifth held up until the ninth, when Jose Briceno hit the game-winning RBI single to right to cap a two-run inning. Before departing, second baseman Rougned Odor singled, walked, stole a base and scored a run in two plate appearances.
The Angels opened up a 1-0 lead in the first after Kole Calhoun, Trout and Luis Valbuena hit three consecutive singles off Rangers left-hander Martin Perez. But Texas erased the deficit after Bernier doubled to left field off Angels right-hander Keynan Middleton in the fifth, scoring Odor and Robinson Chirinos.
Right-handers Jesse Chavez and Alex Meyer both pitched two scoreless innings in their spring debuts for the Angels. Chavez struck out three, while Meyer walked two and fanned one. Chavez and Meyer are competing for the fifth spot in the Angels' rotation.
"Jesse looked really sharp," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "He moves that ball around so well and has such good movement. That's what makes him successful. Alex Meyer, you see the big arm. First outing, just trying to get his feet on the ground. It was okay. But he's come a long way. I think his delivery looked a little more in sync, and hopefully he'll keep moving forward from there."
Perez allowed one run on five hits while walking one and striking out one over 2 2/3 innings in his second Cactus League start for the Rangers. Perez's next appearance could be with Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic.
"I think the strength is there and the buildup has been fine," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. "There have been no complaints or anything. He's answered everything that we needed to get out of him as far as getting himself ready to go to the WBC and to continue on to be ready for the start of the season."
Fellow southpaw Andrew Faulkner entered the game for Texas in the seventh but departed after one pitch due to lightheadedness.
Rangers Up Next:Mike Hauschild, who is competing for the fifth spot in the rotation, will make his second appearance of the spring on Thursday when he starts against the A's at 2:10 p.m. CT in Mesa. Hauschild allowed one hit in two scoreless innings of relief against the Royals on Sunday. The game can be heard exclusively on a webcast at rangers.com.
Angels Up Next: Right-hander Ricky Nolasco, projected to be the Angels' No. 4 starter this year, will make his spring debut against the Giants on Thursday at Tempe Diablo Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 12:10 p.m. PT, and it can be watched on MLB.TV.
Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV.