Mike Trout Got Gunned Down at the Plate and Angels Fans Are Losing Their Minds

Okay, seriously, did you guys see that game last night in Anaheim?! Talk about a gut punch if you're an Angels fan. The Houston Astros pulled off one of those wild, extra-inning rallies that just kills your soul, snatching a 5-4 victory in the 10th. You gotta feel for them. Up 3-0 early, then even taking the lead late, only to watch it all unravel in the wildest way possible.

Angels Blew It, But How?

It actually started out so good for the Halos. They jumped all over Astros starter Spencer Arrighetti in the second inning. Jo Adell got plunked, Madrigal singled, and then boom: Trey Mancini, playing his first big league game in 1,069 days after being called up, laced a single to bring Adell home. What a moment for him! Logan O'Hoppe kept the party going, doubling down the left field line to score Madrigal and Mancini, making it 3-0. Everything was clicking. But the Astros, man, they're like a bad rash. They chipped away in the third when Yordan Alvarez reached on an error and scored on a Christian Walker double. Then they tied it up 3-3 in the sixth. Isaac Paredes started it with a double, and after a single, LaMonte Wade Jr. doubled to right, pulling up with right hamstring soreness and exiting the game. Brice Matthews pinch-ran for him and scored on another double, this one by Cam Smith. Just like that, a 3-0 lead became a tied game. You knew this one was going to be a battle.

Neto's Blast, Trout's Heartbreak

Zach Neto, who's absolutely on fire, wasn't letting that stand. He blasted his 13th homer of the season, a 395-foot shot to left-center in the seventh, putting the Angels back up 4-3. This guy has homered in three straight games! It looked like that might be the game-winner. But nope. Houston kept grinding. In the ninth, Jeremy Pena walked, stole second, and then Christian Walker came through again, singling off Kirby Yates to tie it 4-4. That’s brutal for the Angels. Then the 10th inning arrived, and things got absolutely bonkers. Jose Altuve started on second as the automatic runner, moved to third on a Brice Matthews bunt single, and then scored on a popup to shallow center by Jake Meyers. The throw from Madrigal was good, a one-hopper to the plate, but it bounced right past O'Hoppe, who was charged with an error on the play. First lead for Houston, 5-4. And the Angels *still* had a chance! Jose Siri singled to left, but Brice Matthews, who seemed everywhere, made the play of the game: he gunned down automatic runner Mike Trout at the plate. Trout! Trying to tie it! Thrown out! Game over. You can't make this stuff up. That’s a tough way to lose, especially for a team trying to find its footing. What a crushing defeat for the Angels. They had so many chances, so many moments where it felt like they had it. Now they gotta regroup fast. They'll be back at it tonight, playing Game 2 of this series. You know they'll be fired up, hoping to avenge that one. Tonight's game is a must-watch to see how they bounce back from a loss like *that*. An extra-inning loss like that can sting for a long time.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.