Taylor Ward continued his power surge with his 15th home run of the season, helping lift the Los Angeles Angels to a 7-4 win over the Miami Marlins on Friday night, marking the Angels’ eighth consecutive victory.
Ward’s solo shot in the second inning gave him seven homers during Los Angeles’ recent 9-2 road trip, including two grand slams. Jorge Soler added his seventh home run of the season, making it a franchise-record seventh straight game in which the Angels hit multiple homers. The club has now homered in 13 consecutive games — the longest active streak in the majors.
Ward also chipped in with a sacrifice fly, and Logan O’Hoppe’s RBI double in the fourth put the Angels up 3-0. Los Angeles pushed its lead to 6-0 in the sixth thanks to a catcher’s interference call, a hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded, and another sacrifice fly.
Yusei Kikuchi (1-4) earned his first win in 11 starts this season, throwing 5 2/3 scoreless innings while allowing seven hits and four walks with five strikeouts. Kenley Jansen issued two walks in the ninth but secured his 11th save in as many chances.
Sandy Alcantara (2-7) was tagged for six runs (five earned) in 5 1/3 innings for Miami, striking out six and walking two.
Eric Wagaman had three hits for the Marlins, including a solo homer in the seventh and a two-run single in the eighth. Kyle Stowers went 3 for 4 with an RBI double, extending his on-base streak to 20 games and his hitting streak to 10.
Key Moment
With the bases loaded and two outs in the sixth, Hunter Strickland came on in relief of Kikuchi. Liam Hicks hit a slow roller to shortstop Zach Neto, who charged and fired to first just in time to end the inning and preserve the shutout.
Key Stat
Ward’s second-inning homer gave him an extra-base hit in nine consecutive games, tying the Angels’ club record set by Darin Erstad in 1998.
Up Next
The Angels send José Soriano (3-4, 3.57 ERA) to the mound on Saturday to face Miami’s Cal Quantrill (3-4, 6.47 ERA).