Minor’s 3-hitter is 1st career shutout, Rangers top Angels
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Mike Minor threw a three-hitter for his first career shutout while Joey Gallo and Asdrubal Cabrera hit drastically different two-run homers as the Texas Rangers beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-0 on Tuesday night.
Minor (2-1) limited Los Angeles to three singles while throwing 103 pitches with seven strikeouts and two walks. The only time the Angels had a runner reach second base was when David Fletcher led off the game with a walk and moved up on a single by Andrelton Simmons.
Cabrera put Texas up 3-0 when his deep fly appeared to ricochet of the wrist of leaping right fielder Kole Calhoun and go over the 8-foot wall in the fourth off Jaime Barria (1-1).
Gallo pulled a 439-foot shot that landed on the concourse beyond the lower-level seats to greet reliever Dillon Peters in the sixth and make it 5-0.
It was the sixth homer of the season for both Gallo and Cabrera.
Texas went ahead to stay when Shin-Soo Choo doubled leading off the first and scored on a hot-smash double by Nomar Mazara, a ball that couldn’t be handled by drawn-in second baseman Tommy La Stella.
Minor has pitched seven innings in three consecutive starts for the first time since late in the 2014 season with the Atlanta Braves. This was his second career complete game in 142 starts.
The lefty missed the 2015 and 2016 seasons because of a torn labrum in his shoulder and was a full-time reliever for Kansas City in 2017. He signed with the Rangers last year for the chance to be a starter again, leading them with his 12 wins last season when his longest outing was seven innings. He was their opening-day starter this year.
ROUGH ROAD
The Angels are 2-14 in their last 16 road games dating back to last September — a span in which they are 12-2 at home.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Angels: Two-time AL MVP Mike Trout was the DH for the second game in a row in his return from missing three games with a right groin strain. Trout had an infield single in the sixth and has reached base in all 14 of his games, his longest on-base streak to start a season.
UP NEXT
Angels: Matt Harvey (0-1) is still looking for his first win with the Angels. He is set to make his fourth start Wednesday for Los Angeles, and second against the Rangers. The right-hander gave up eight runs and 10 hits over four innings in his Angels home debut April 4 against the Rangers.
Rangers: Lance Lynn (1-1) works on extended six days’ rest after a day off and rainout for the Rangers since he allowed one run and struck out nine over six innings to win at Arizona.
