Rockies vs Angels Recap: Big Night Lifts Angels to 11-4

The Colorado Rockies came into Angel Stadium with their struggles on full display. They sat at 24-39, dropping their last game 8-2 the night before. But Los Angeles was ready to pounce. The Angels jumped on Colorado starter Michael Lorenzen right away in the second inning. Jose Siri ripped a double down the left field line, scoring Donovan Walton. Logan O'Hoppe followed with a sharp single to right. Then Vaughn Grissom lined a single to left, driving in another run. Lorenzen couldn't find the zone either—wild pitches kept dancing away, and runs kept crossing the plate. By the time the inning ended, the Angels had built a 7-0 lead before Colorado could even bat. The Rockies were in deep trouble.

When Troy Johnston stepped up in the fourth for Colorado, he smashed a double into right field. Hunter Goodman raced home to make it 7-1. It was a small victory for the Rockies, but they needed so much more. Tyler Freeman then crushed a two-run blast over the left-center wall in the fifth. The ball sailed 387 feet, and suddenly Colorado had three runs. It felt like a spark. But the Angels weren't done yet. Vaughn Grissom launched a towering home run into left field in the fourth. The ball flew 408 feet. Los Angeles now led 8-1 and was in complete control.

The Angels kept rolling through the middle of the game. Jo Adell singled to center in the fifth, and Jose Siri scored to make it 9-3. Then in the sixth, things got even worse for Colorado. Oswald Peraza doubled to left, and Wade Meckler raced home. Nick Madrigal followed immediately with a single to center, scoring Peraza. The Angels were hitting everything Lorenzen threw. In the eighth inning, Troy Johnston smacked a single to left for Colorado, bringing home TJ Rumfield. That made it 4-11, but it was far too little, way too late. The damage had been done in those early innings when Lorenzen couldn't throw strikes. He gave up eight runs in just 3.1 innings of work. The Angels' lineup was clicking on all cylinders. Grissom went 2-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs. Nick Madrigal was outstanding, finishing 4-for-5. Wade Meckler also had four hits. Los Angeles was simply better tonight.

By the time the final out was recorded, the Angels had completely taken over. The score sat at 11-4, and it told the whole story. Los Angeles pounded out hit after hit while Colorado's pitchers walked a tightrope and kept falling off. Walbert Urena was the winning pitcher for the Angels, lasting six innings and allowing just three runs on three hits. He struck out seven Rockies hitters. The Angels got stellar defensive play too. Their relievers locked things down—Drew Pomeranz, Ryan Zeferjahn, and closer Kirby Yates all did their jobs perfectly. The Rockies' bullpen tried to stop the bleeding with Keegan Thompson, Seth Halvorsen, and TJ Shook taking over, but the damage was already done. For Colorado, this loss dropped them to 24-39 overall. The Rockies are really struggling this season. Los Angeles improved to 24-39 as well, but got the win they desperately needed at home. The Angels beat the Rockies 11-4 on June 4.