Phil Gosselin homered and drove in four runs to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 7-1 win over the visiting Minnesota Twins in the first game of a doubleheader on Thursday.
Taylor Ward added a two-run blast for the Angels, who won for only the third time in their past nine games.
Angels starter Alex Cobb (2-2) came off the injured list and allowed one run on four hits over five innings in his first start since May 4.
Gosselin hit a solo homer in the first off left-hander Lewis Thorpe (0-2), who gave up four runs (one earned) over four innings.
Minnesota was held to four hits and lost for the fourth time in their past five games.
The Twins pulled even in the second when Rob Refsnyder’s sacrifice fly scored Miguel Sano, who began the inning with his 100th career double.
Los Angeles answered in the bottom of the inning on Gosselin’s two-out, three-run double to left field. The 32-year-old utilityman is batting .311 with seven RBIs in 15 games since joining the Angels.
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Cobb threw 57 pitches over five innings and retired the final 12 batters he faced. Steve Cishek closed the seven-inning game with two scoreless innings.
The Angels pulled away in the fifth on Ward’s two-out, two-run blast off Tyler Duffey, who remains active while appealing his three-game suspension for throwing behind Chicago White Sox rookie Yermin Mercedes on Tuesday.
Ward was hitless in his previous 11 at-bats before recording two hits against the Twins, including his third homer of the year. Juan Lagares also had two hits for the Angels, who won for the first time in three games since losing Mike Trout for at least six weeks with a strained calf.
Minnesota has a total of six hits in their past two losses.
–Field Level Media