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Angels' 5-run 5th inning helps beat Dodgers 8-1

May 19, 2016 - 6:37 AM ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) Nick Tropeano tossed a career-high seven innings, escaping a bases-loaded, no-out situation in his final inning, and the hobbled Los Angeles Angels' offense strung together some timely hits.

Hours after catcher Geovany Soto became their 10th player on the disabled list, the Angels broke the game open with five runs in the fifth inning and beat the Dodgers 8-1 on Wednesday night to take a 2-1 lead in the four-game Freeway Series.

''It (stinks) when guys go down. A lot of teams go through it, we're just going through it all at once,'' slugger Mike Trout said. ''We're just trying to get wins, that's all we can do. One guy is not going to carry us.''

Trout helped by homering in his first at-bat, giving Tropeano (2-2) some early support. The right-hander tossed four-hit ball into the seventh inning and then promptly ran into trouble.

Tropeano loaded the bases on three consecutive singles before striking out pinch-hitter Kike Hernandez and getting Justin Turner to ground into an inning-ending double play.

''That was really the only real threat I had the whole game - no outs, bases loaded,'' Tropeano said. ''One hit, they're back in the game. That was a huge play for us.''

Opponents are 0 for 19 with two outs and runners in scoring position against Tropeano this season.

''He trusts his stuff, that's what I like about him,'' Trout said. ''You could see it in his eyes, when they got that big double-play that was a big pitch for him and a big pitch for the team.''

Tropeano began the game by retiring his first 10 batters before walking Turner. He allowed one run and seven hits in seven innings, struck out four and walked two. He has given up two or fewer runs in six of his eight starts.

''He had to make some big pitches to get out of trouble,'' Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. ''He's a little frustrated at maybe not having more performances like he did tonight. In the back of his mind, he has that little cloud of, `When am I going to get past the sixth inning?'''

C.J. Cron's bases-loaded infield single put the Angels ahead 2-1 and opened the floodgates. Mike Bolsinger (0-1) began the inning by giving up a single to Yunel Escobar and issuing a one-out walk to Trout. Louis Coleman relieved and immediately loaded the bases by walking Albert Pujols.

Cron scored on Howie Kendrick's error that made Johnny Giavotella safe at first. Rafael Ortega's double dropped in front of charging left fielder Trayce Thompson, leading to two more runs. Carlos Perez's sacrifice fly extended the lead to 6-1.

The Angels rapped out 12 hits, three off their season high. Trout homered in his first at-bat, and since 2012 he leads the majors with 39 homers in the first inning. He was 3 for 4 with a walk. Pujols was 2 for 3 with two walks and notched his 2,700th career hit on a single in the third.

Bolsinger gave up three runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings, struck out two and walked two after being activated off the disabled list to give the Dodgers' rotation some extra rest.

''The only thing that was working for me was my slider,'' he said. ''After the second inning, I think I threw four fastballs the rest of the game. Every pitch was a slider.''

Coleman staggered through an uncharacteristic inning. The right-hander hadn't allowed a run in his previous 12 games, giving up just three hits and striking out 12 with two walks in that span.

Joc Pederson's RBI single in the fourth provided the Dodgers' lone run, a night after they limited the Angels to one run in a 5-1 victory.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Dodgers: 1B Adrian Gonzalez missed his second straight game with lower-back tightness that surfaced Monday. He's expected to return Friday or Saturday. ... LF Scott Van Slyke (low back irritation) is at Camelback Ranch in Arizona awaiting assignment to a minor-league affiliate. ... With Bolsinger reinstated from the DL, INF Charlie Culberson was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City. He made the opening day roster and appeared in 15 games, batting .259 with two doubles and four RBIs. ... INF Alex Guerrero (left knee) was set to play his seventh rehab game Wednesday with Double-A Tulsa.

Angels: C Geovany Soto will go on the DL with a torn right meniscus. His knee locked up on him before Wednesday's game. An MRI showed the tear that is expected to keep him out 4-to-6 weeks.

ROUNDING THE BASES

Pederson doubled to deep center with two outs in the eighth. After rounding first, he stumbled and fell, with his shin guard coming off. He got up in time to make it safely to second.

''I think that was the first time I ate it in the big leagues,'' he said. ''Yeah, it'll be on the bloopers.''

UP NEXT

Dodgers: RHP Ross Stripling (1-2, 4.26 ERA) faces the Angels for the first time in the series finale. He has a 2.12 ERA on the road.

Angels: RHP Jhoulys Chacin (0-0, 2.57) makes his second start since joining the team on May 11 from Atlanta. He is 9-7 with a 3.74 ERA in 19 career games against the Dodgers. The nine wins are his most against any opponent.