Rookies power Angels to win over Texas
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Francisco Arcia and Jose Fernandez aren't your typical rookies.
They are a combined 58 years old and took long paths toward their major league debuts this season. They've become close friends and, on Wednesday night, both flashed some power.
Arcia homered twice and drove in four runs, Fernandez hit his second career homer and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Texas Rangers 8-1 on Wednesday night.
Arcia had a two-run double in the second inning off Yovani Gallardo and homered in the sixth and again in the eighth. Fernandez, the 30-year-old rookie from Cuba, went deep again after hitting his first major league homer on Tuesday.
"We're always together," said the 28-year-old Arcia, who spent 11 years in the minors. "We're like brothers. We're always talking about how we want to play here like we played in little leagues and minor leagues. Just living the dream. Play hard every day. Take the opportunity they give to us."
Felix Pena (3-4) worked six scoreless innings, striking out three and walking one, as the Angels won for the sixth time in seven games.
Joey Gallo hit his 36th homer of the season for the Rangers, who have lost five of six. He said he was OK after some discomfort during his final at-bat.
"Just a stinger. Last atbat, the knob dug into my wrist, so it was kind of ringing on me that last at-bat, but it's good," Gallo said. "It will be fine."
A day earlier, the Angels gave Fernandez the customary silent treatment after his homer before Trout splashed him in the face with a cup of water. This time, Trout was waiting on the top step of the dugout to give Fernandez a highfive after his third-inning homer, which made it 6-0.
The 27-year-old Trout has enjoyed watching two rookies who are older than him.
"It's awesome," Trout said. "Obviously, it's not where we want to be from the team standpoint, but guys are getting opportunities to play and they're taking advantage of it. It's fun to be a part of. I see them come in and work hard every day. You can't take that away from them. They're getting an opportunity to play in the big leagues. They're having fun with it."
Arcia, who made his major league debut on the day Martin Maldonado was traded to the Astros, has five homers this season.
Justin Upton tripled to left field to score a run in the third, snapping a skid of 15 hitless at-bats, to put the Angels ahead 3-0.
Gallardo (8-5) allowed six runs on six hits in three innings.
TROUT'S CATCH OF THE DAY
Trout had an outfield assist in the third, a two-hop throw to catcher Arcia to cut down Robinson Chirinos at the plate.
Manager Mike Scioscia said there's no doubt his center fielder should win his first Gold Glove.
"It's every outfielder's dream," Trout said. "I try to go out there and catch everything and throw everybody out. It'd be pretty cool."
BOBBLEHEAD LIKENESS?
The Angels revealed the Scioscia bobblehead that will be given away on Sept. 29. Asked what he thought of it, Scioscia joked, "I'm going to try to say 'ugly' in three languages."