ANAHEIM ― The Angels are scheduled to play another 101 games in 2022, and only six in their creamy “City Connect” uniforms. They might want to re-think that.
Debuting their new threads Saturday before an announced crowd of 36,408 at Angel Stadium, the Angels hit five home runs in an 11-6 walloping of the New York Mets.
Jared Walsh hit for the cycle. Mike Trout returned to the lineup after a four-day injury absence and hit his 15th and 16th homers of the season. Shohei Ohtani also finished a triple shy of the cycle.
Walsh completed the feat with his triple in the eighth inning. With Trevor Williams pitching and two runners on base, Walsh hit a line drive to center field that tailed away from Khalil Lee. Lee dove, the ball squirted under his glove and trickled to the fence, and Walsh easily strode into third base with the ninth cycle in franchise history.
Ohtani was the last to accomplish the feat, on June 13, 2019.
Walsh also made a pair of diving stops at first base on ground balls to his left. He finished 4 for 5 with three RBIs, while Trout and Ohtani each went 3 for 4 with three RBIs.
Andrew Velazquez hit his fourth home run of the season in the sixth inning. In the second inning, he saved a run with a diving stop at shortstop on a ball headed to the outfield with a runner on second base.
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Starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen (6-3) pitched into the seventh inning before allowing a run. That gave struggling relievers Aaron Loup and Oliver Ortega enough breathing room to allow the Mets to make the final score respectable.
Loup allowed an inherited run to score in the seventh inning, while Ortega allowed five runs over the final two innings. The right-hander has allowed multiple runs in three of his last five appearances.
That did little to spoil the end result, a big win over the National League’s best team. The Angels (29-32) have won two of their last three games, often in stark contrast to the team that lost 14 consecutive games and cost manager Joe Maddon his job.
Trout’s return was a boon. He had missed the previous three games with tightness in his left groin, but was batting second and playing his usual center field Saturday. Brandon Marsh batted leadoff for the first time since May 14 and drew two walks in five plate appearances; he scored both times he reached base.