Mike Trout lifts LA Angels past Mariners

ANAHEIM >> Mike Trout versus Felix Heandez is a matchup that keeps tilting in the Angels’ favor.

Trout, again, touched off on the Seattle Mariners’ ace on Saturday night, as the Angels grabbed a 4-2 victory.

When Trout stepped to the plate in the bottom of the sixth iing, the Angels were trailing, 2-1, and had scored just seven runs in their last 43 iings.

The second pitch Trout saw from Heandez, a sinker on the outside part of the plate, he ripped 435 feet to center field, a two-run homer that put the Angels ahead for good. Rafael Ortega, who went 2 for 4, reached base on a single in the previous at-bat.

For the Angels’ star center fielder, it was his fifth career home run off Heandez in 68 at-bats.

Earlier in the game, during the fourth iing, Trout also doubled. It was the first pitch he saw after he fouled a ball off his right foot, appearing to leave him in a good bit of pain. He left the batter’s box for several minutes, and a team trainer came out to attend to him.

Trout’s career batting average against Heandez rose to .368.

The Angels would add an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth iing, as Kole Calhoun slapped an RBI single to left field.

It was the first time in five games that the Angels, who came in ranking last in the American League in runs scored, totaled more than three runs in a game.

They didn’t need much from the offense, though.

Hector Santiago allowed four hits and two runs over six iings, while striking out seven and walking two. His ERA dropped to 2.70 through his first four starts of the season.

The second run didn’t come until his 100th pitch in the sixth iing when Nelson Cruz hit a solo home run to left field, traveling 384 feet over the home bullpen. Cruz lifted a sinker from Santiago that was going 92 mph.

Cruz, who played for the Texas Rangers from 2006-14, has hit 30 home runs over 133 career games against the Angels. He was booed as he rounded the bases. The home run gave Seattle a 2-1 lead at the time.

He was later hit by a pitch in the shin from Angels’ setup man Joe Smith during the eighth iing. Smith hit hit Robinson Cano in the previous at-bat.

Huston Street eaed the save, as the bullpen threw three scoreless iings.

The Angels tallied seven hits, but none from cleanup hitter Albert Pujols, who remained without a hit in 26 at-bats. He struck out swinging on a changeup in the bottom of the eighth. It’s the longest streak of his career without a hit.

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He drew a walk earlier in the game.

Ji-Man Choi, who was in at first base for C.J. Cron, saw his first career hit on a single in the seventh.