Ward's 15th homer helps power Angels to 8th straight win, 7-4 over Marlins
Taylor Ward hit his 15th home run and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Miami Marlins 7-4 on Friday night for their eighth straight win.
Ward's solo homer in the second inning gave him seven, including two grand slams, during the club's 9-2 road trip. Jorge Soler also hit his seventh homer giving the Angels at least two homers in a club-record seven straight games. They have homered in 13 consecutive games, the longest active MLB streak.
Ward added a sacrifice fly and Logan O'Hoppe an RBI double for a 3-0 lead in the fourth.
Catcher's interference, a hit-by-pitch and a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded made it 6-0 in the sixth.
Yusei Kikuchi (1-4) went 5 2/3 scoreless innings, giving up seven hits and four walks while striking out five. He picked up his first win in 11 starts this season. Kenley Jansen walked two in the ninth but got his 11th save in 11 opportunities.
Miami's Sandy Alcantara (2-7) went 5 1/3 innings, giving up six runs, five earned, with two walks and six strikeouts.
Eric Wagaman had three hits including his fourth homer of the season in the seventh and a two-run single in the eighth.
Kyle Stowers had an RBI double among his three hits. He has a 20-game on-base streak and has hit safely in 10 straight.
Hunter Strickland relieved Kikuchi with two outs and the bases loaded in the sixth. Liam Hicks hit a soft grounder that shortstop Zach Neto charged and threw to first to barely get Hicks.
Ward's homer gave him an extra-base hit in nine straight games, tying Darin Erstad (1998) for the club record.
Miami's Cal Quantrill (3-4, 6.47 ERA) pitches against the Angels' José Soriano (3-4, 3.57) on Saturday.
