Major League Baseball
LA Angels 3, Colorado 2
When: 8:40 PM ET, Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Where: Coors Field, Denver, Colorado
Temperature: 58°
Umpires: Home - Mark Wegner, 1B - Mike Winters, 2B - Adam Hamari, 3B - Marty Foster
Attendance: 24660

DENVER -- A single by Johnny Giavotella with two outs and the bases loaded in the ninth Wednesday gave the onrushing Los Angeles Angels a 3-2 win over the Colorado Rockies and a sweep of the two-game series.

Center fielder Mike Trout hit two long homers for the Angels, who are 5-0 on their current road trip and earned their ninth win in 10 games to move to within 1 1/2 games of the first-place Houston Astros in the American League West.

Giavotella, the second baseman who is thriving in late-inning situations, knocked in the winner off Colorado closer John Axford (1-2).

The decisive rally began when third baseman David Freese singled with one out. He was lifted for pinch runner Taylor Featherston, whom the Angels selected from the Rockies last December in the Rule 5 draft. Featherston dashed to third on catcher Chris Iannetta's double toward the left field corner.

Axford intentionally walked left fielder Daniel Robertson to load the bases, then ran the count to 3-2 on pinch hitter Efren Navarro and struck him out.

Giavotella grounded a single into left field, just out of reach of diving shortstop Troy Tulowitzki. Giavotella is hitting .4444 (20-for-45) with 11 RBIs in late and close situations -- the seventh inning or later with the batting team ahead by one, tied, or with the tying run on base, at bat or on deck.

"I expect it out of myself," Giavotella said. "I expect to come through for the team. I like to help the team out any way that I can, so to be able to come through in those situations is what I live for.

"I was able to get ahead in the count 2-1. He threw me a fastball, I fouled it off to make it 2-2. He kind of hung a curveball, and I was able to put the barrel on it and it got through the six hole."

Axford said, "I tried to throw a curveball for a strike. It stayed up little bit more in this altitude. It was a Denver curveball."

The Rockies threatened in their half of the ninth against Angels closer Huston Street. With two outs and runners on first and second, Street got first baseman Ben Paulsen to ground to second and earn his 24th save in 26 opportunities. He preserved the win for Joe Smith (3-2), who pitched a scoreless eighth.

Street said he felt something tighten in his right groin on the second-to-last pitch of the game and felt a similar sensation on the final pitch.

"I didn't fall to my knee out of pain," Street said. "I just didn't want to push off of it anymore. I tried to not finish my delivery.

"I've done it enough in the past before to know when you really tug on something. My gut tells me I didn't get it too bad. Thankfully, it was on the last pitch; thankfully, we got the out. Worst comes to worst, if I can't be back for the Seattle series (Thursday through Sunday), we got the All-Star break and hopefully (I'll) be ready to go after that."

Trout, who homered in the first, went deep again in the sixth to tie the game at 2, launching left-hander Chris Rusin's 3-1 fastball an estimated 477 feet to center. The two homers gave Trout 24 for the season as well as his fifth career multi-homer game and second this season. Those were the only runs off Rusin, who worked six innings and got 13 outs on ground balls.

The Rockies (35-49) fell a season-worst 14 games below .500 as they lost for the ninth time in 11 games. They left 13 runners on base and went 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position.

Colorado ended Los Angeles starter Matt Shoemaker's interleague scoreless streak ended at 21 innings with a two-run fourth. However, Shoemaker minimized the damage after giving up four straight hits to begin the inning.

"They had it going early on," said Shoemaker, who allowed just the two runs in 5 2/3 innings. "It was like, hey, we got to nip it in the bud right here, get out of it as quick as we can. And we did."

NOTES: The start of the game was delayed 2 hours, 7 minutes due to rain. ... Angels RHP Jared Weaver (left hip inflammation) threw a bullpen session and is tentatively scheduled to throw a simulated game Saturday in Seattle. ... Angels CF Mike Trout declined an invitation to participate in the Home Run Derby on Monday at Cincinnati. Trout hit his 120th career homer Tuesday night, becoming the ninth player to hit 120 home runs before turning 24. ... Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki has hit safely in 20 straight games and has reached base in 35 consecutive games, both career highs. ... Rockies LF Corey Dickerson (left foot plantar fasciitis) was going to run in cleats for the first time since going on the disabled list June 17. but rain kept him from doing so. ... Rockies RHP Jon Gray is getting close to being promoted to the majors for the first time. In his past two starts at Triple-A Albuquerque, Gray, the third overall pick in the 2013 draft, is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA, five walks and 17 strikeouts.
Top Game Performances
Starting Pitchers
LA Angels   Colorado
Matt Shoemaker Player Christopher Rusin
No Decision W/L No Decision
5.2 IP 6.0
2 Strikeouts 2
9 Hits 5
3.18 ERA 3.00
Hitting
LA Angels   Colorado
Mike Trout Player Nolan Arenado
2 Hits 3
2 RBI 0
2 HR 0
8 TB 4
.667 Avg 1.000
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Hits HR TB Avg LOB K RBI BB SB Errors
LA Angels 9 2 16 .265 14 5 3 4 0 1
Colorado 13 0 16 .342 26 5 2 3 1 0