Trumbo homers Halos to wild win over Yankees

Trumbo homers Halos to wild win over Yankees

Published May. 28, 2012 9:56 p.m. ET

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- When ace Jered Weaver limped off the mound with a back injury after just 12 pitches, the Los Angeles Angels probably figured their winning streak would be the least of their losses Monday night.

After nine innings of relief pitching, 15 hits, three errors, two blown three-run leads, and 3 hours, 38 minutes of exhausting play, Mark Trumbo's soaring homer ended an uncommonly meaningful victory for the revitalized Angels.

Trumbo finished it with a shot to left into the sold-out stands, and the Angels overcame Weaver's first-inning injury exit for their seventh consecutive win, a wild 9-8 victory over the New York Yankees.

Trumbo connected on the final pitch from Cory Wade (0-1), circling the bases for a home-plate celebration accompanied by a few fireworks. After a horrible start to a season of high expectations, the Angels (25-25) are finally back to .500 for the first time since April 9.

"I was super proud of the way we came together against a really good team," said Trumbo, who also doubled and tripled. "Of course they're going to score some runs in that situation, but it's huge the way we came back from the first inning on."

Howie Kendrick and Kendrys Morales drove in three runs apiece for the Angels (25-25), who snapped the Yankees' five-game winning streak.

Mike Trout homered and Albert Pujols had two hits for the Angels, who got a hit from every batter. Los Angeles also survived terrible defense in its return from a revitalizing 10-game road trip that pulled them out of last place in the AL West.

"Hopefully it's a breakout game," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "During the streak, we have not been swinging the bat well. We've been doing just enough to win, so hopefully this will get us to a different place."

Weaver left with a stabbing pain in his lower back after facing only four batters, but Los Angeles' lineup matched its season highs for runs and hits, capped the third game-winning homer of Trumbo's young career.

Jordan Walden (2-1) finished the nine-inning relief effort, escaping a bases-loaded jam of his own making in the ninth on Derek Jeter's grounder.

"I can't say enough for the guys that went out there (in relief)," Scioscia said. "Those guys stepped up and did great."

Russell Martin's two-out, two-run double in a three-run seventh tied it at 8 for the Yankees, who were on their longest winning streak of the season. Curtis Granderson hit his 15th homer and Mark Teixeira hit his fourth home run in four games, but New York left the bases loaded in the first and ninth innings.

"A lot of guys had opportunities tonight, but any time you put eight (runs) on the board, you want to get that win," said Nick Swisher, who went 0 for 4 and ran into Granderson on a full sprint in a scary third-inning outfield collision.

Phil Hughes yielded 11 hits and seven runs while pitching into the sixth inning of a rough start near his hometown for the Yankees. Hughes had a 3-0 lead in the first inning after Weaver's exit, but the Angels erased the deficit just six batters into the bottom half of the inning, with Kendrick's two-run single capping the rally.

"That was the turning point," said Trumbo, who had an RBI double in the rally. "That showed some fight."

Weaver had the first significant back trouble of his career in his first home start since throwing a no-hitter at Angel Stadium on May 2.

Weaver gave up leadoff hits to Jeter and Granderson before Jeter scored when Gold Glove shortstop Erick Aybar booted a grounder. Weaver then stumbled awkwardly off the mound after a pitch to Robinson Cano, leaving the game after attempting a warmup pitch.

"It felt like somebody stabbed me in the back," said Weaver, who will have an MRI on Tuesday. "It's disappointing, especially because you get up for games like this."

The Yankees went up 3-0 -- but unlike the punchless team that was shut out a franchise-record eight times in its first 36 games, Los Angeles rallied for four quick runs, capped by Trumbo's double into the right field stands and Kendrick's two-run single.

Trout hit his fifth homer of the season in the fourth. Morales delivered a bases-loaded double on reliever David Phelps' first pitch in the sixth, driving home two runs and putting the Angels up 8-5.

Hughes was born and raised in Orange County, attending high school 8 miles from Angel Stadium in Santa Ana. He had about 20 friends and family members in attendance for his first start in Anaheim since his sixth major league start in 2007.

"On a night when the offense is doing so well and swinging the bats, it's a tough one to swallow," Hughes said.

NOTES: Yankees LF Brett Gardner took dry swings and RHP David Robertson played catch in both injured players' latest rehab steps. Gardner is out with a strained right elbow, and Robertson has a strained oblique muscle. Gardner, who has been out for six weeks, will play in the minors before rejoining the Yankees. ... Angels RF Torii Hunter returned from a two-week absence to deal with his son's arrest in Texas. Hunter is still on the Angels' restricted list, but seems likely to play soon.

ADVERTISEMENT
share