Matthew Lugo delivered his first major league hit, an RBI triple in the fourth inning, and Jo Adell homered as the Los Angeles Angels beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-2 on Saturday night.
Lugo, who debuted Friday as a pinch-runner, went 1 for 4 in his first career start. The 23-year-old, a former second-round pick by the Red Sox and nephew of Carlos Beltrán, became the third of four prospects acquired in the Luis García trade to suit up for the Angels.
Jack Kochanowicz (2-5) snapped a five-game losing streak with a solid outing, allowing one run on four hits and four walks over 5 2/3 innings. The Angels, in last place in the AL West, held Baltimore to six hits in total using five pitchers.
Kyle Gibson (0-2) struggled again for the Orioles, giving up five runs on seven hits and three walks in four-plus innings. Since joining the injury-riddled Baltimore rotation, the veteran has not pitched into the fifth in any of his three starts.
The Angels jumped on Gibson early, collecting three singles on his first seven pitches and scoring twice in the opening inning. Luis Rengifo added a bases-loaded RBI groundout in the fifth to knock Gibson out of the game.
Adell launched his third home run in five games in the fourth, and Kyren Paris followed with a single before scoring from first on Lugo’s 399-foot triple to deep center.
Gunnar Henderson singled and came around to score on Ryan Mountcastle’s two-out RBI double in the sixth for Baltimore’s first run. Ramón Laureano added a pinch-hit solo homer in the ninth — the Orioles’ first pinch-hit blast since June 6 last year.
Key Moment:
Adell’s homer sparked a two-run fourth for the Angels, capped by Lugo’s milestone triple that extended the lead to 4-0.
Key Stat:
Laureano’s ninth-inning shot was his first career pinch-hit home run and Baltimore’s first as a team in nearly a year.
Up Next:
Tyler Anderson takes the mound for the Angels on Sunday. The Orioles are expected to activate Zach Eflin for his first start in a month following a back injury.
