Tyler Mahle threw six scoreless innings and Gio Urshela was a triple shy of the cycle as the Minnesota Twins beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-0 Friday night in Anaheim, Calif.
Mahle (6-7), making his second start for the Twins since being acquired from the Cincinnati Reds in a deadline deal, gave up three hits and two walks while striking out six and making 86 pitches.
He did not allow an Angels baserunner to reach scoring position until Luis Rengifo doubled with two out in the sixth. Mahle escaped by retiring Taylor Ward on a flyout.
Urshela singled and scored in the second inning, doubled in the fourth and hit a solo homer in the sixth. Needing a triple for the cycle when he came to the plate in the eighth, Urshela struck out.
Patrick Sandoval’s unofficial title as the Angels’ hard-luck loser continued on Friday, the right-hander failing to get a victory for his 12th start in a row, dating back to his last victory on May 22.
He’s 0-7 with five no-decisions in those 12 starts, but hasn’t pitched all that poorly. In fact, he’s allowed two earned runs or fewer in eight of those starts.
That included Friday, when Sandoval (3-8) gave up two runs on five hits and four walks in five innings.
Sandoval retired the first two batters in the second inning and got ahead of the count on Urshela 0-2 before Urshela singled on a 1-2 pitch. Gilberto Celestino followed with a home run and a 2-0 Twins lead.
Sandoval got a boost from his defense in the third inning when Angels left fielder Jo Adell threw out Sandy Leon trying to score from second on a single by Jose Miranda.
Sandoval was finished after five but the Twins added to their lead in the sixth on a solo homer by Urshela off Angels reliever Mike Mayers, making it 3-0.
The Twins increased their lead to 4-0 in the eighth on an RBI single by Luis Arraez.
–Field Level Media
