Walbert Ureña allowed only two hits across six scoreless innings as the Los Angeles Angels beat the Texas Rangers 7-0 on Thursday night at Angel Stadium.
Mike Trout and Denzer Guzman each collected three hits and an RBI in a 15-hit performance by Los Angeles. Josh Lowe added two hits and two RBIs as the Angels extended their winning streak to three games.
The Angels reached double figures in hits for the first time since July 8. Their pitching staff also delivered a five-hit shutout, with three relievers following Ureña with scoreless innings.
Ureña Continues Strong Rookie Season
Ureña improved to 8-8 after another effective start.
The rookie right-hander struck out five and walked two in six innings. He lowered his season ERA to 2.67 while keeping Texas from building any sustained offensive pressure.
Ureña has posted a 2.43 ERA across 18 appearances since May 1. He has allowed one run or fewer in 13 starts during that stretch.
Texas managed only two hits against him Thursday. Ureña worked around the two walks and handed a comfortable lead to the Angels’ bullpen.
José Fermin pitched a scoreless seventh before Tayler Saucedo handled the eighth. Sammy Peralta finished the shutout with a clean ninth.
Together, the four Angels pitchers held Texas to five hits.
Angels Get to deGrom Early
Texas starter Jacob deGrom entered the game while dealing with left hip and glute issues that have affected him since the All-Star break. His outing ended after only two innings because of right triceps fatigue.
The Angels made him work throughout the second inning.
Guzman opened the rally with a single before Lowe doubled to put runners at second and third. Adam Frazier followed with a one-out RBI single that scored Guzman.
Lowe also tried to score from second on the play, but Texas left fielder Wyatt Langford threw him out at the plate.
Los Angeles quickly rebuilt the threat. Wade Meckler singled before Trout drove in another run with a base hit, giving the Angels a 2-0 advantage.
DeGrom needed 32 pitches to complete the inning and allowed five hits. It marked the first time since September 2017 that he surrendered five hits in a single inning.
The veteran right-hander finished with two runs allowed on five hits and fell to 8-8.
Fifth-Inning Rally Puts Game Away
Los Angeles turned a manageable lead into a comfortable one in the fifth.
Trout, Nolan Schanuel and Vaughn Grissom opened the rally with consecutive singles against Texas left-hander Jordan Montgomery. The three hits loaded the bases and brought Guzman to the plate.
Guzman produced an infield single to score Trout and make it 3-0.
Lowe followed with the biggest hit of the inning. His two-run single extended the advantage to five runs before Jose Siri brought home another runner with an RBI groundout.
The Angels finished the inning with four runs on six hits and a 6-0 lead.
Siri added an RBI single in the seventh to complete the scoring.
Trout and Guzman Set the Pace
Trout and Guzman led a balanced Angels lineup that consistently put runners on base.
Each finished with three singles and an RBI. Lowe contributed two hits and drove in two runs, while Frazier added two hits and an RBI.
Los Angeles finished with 15 hits after going more than a month without reaching double figures in a game.
The production gave Ureña plenty of support and prevented Texas from finding a path back into the contest.
The Angels also produced their runs without relying on home runs. They used singles, doubles, productive outs, and consistent traffic on the bases to build the seven-run margin.
Guzman played a central role in both of the Angels’ major rallies. His second-inning single started the sequence that produced the first two runs, and his fifth-inning infield hit drove home the first run of a four-run frame.
Lowe also delivered in both rallies. His second-inning double helped set up the opening run, and his two-run single in the fifth helped put the game out of reach.
Angels Finish Series on Strong Note
The shutout extended Los Angeles’ winning streak to three games and gave the club another strong performance from Ureña.
His consistency has become a notable part of the Angels’ rotation. The rookie has kept opponents to one run or fewer in most of his starts since the beginning of May while lowering his ERA below 2.70.
The Angels complemented that pitching on Thursday with one of their most productive offensive games in weeks.
Texas, meanwhile, left Anaheim with additional concern surrounding deGrom. His early departure came after he had already dealt with lower-body discomfort since the All-Star break.
Up Next
The Rangers travel to West Sacramento, where right-hander Kumar Rocker is scheduled to face Athletics left-hander Gage Jump on Friday night.
Los Angeles remains home to open a series against Kansas City. Angels right-hander Grayson Rodriguez is scheduled to face Royals right-hander Seth Lugo in the opener Friday night.
