Mike Trout on the verge of MLB record after hitting a home run in seventh straight game

By Alasdair Howorth, CNN

Ten-time Major League Baseball All-Star Mike Trout hit his seventh homer in seven games with a two-run drive in the fifth inning, but it wasn’t enough as the Los Angeles Angels fell to the Cleveland Guardians 5-4.

If Trout goes the distance against the Guardians later on Tuesday, he will join Dale Long, Don Mattingly and Ken Griffey Jr. as the only players who have hit homers in eight consecutive games.

“That’s good company to be in,” Trout said after the game, according to ESPN. “I’m just putting a good swing on the ball and they’re going out.”

“I’m going up there ready to hit and whatever happens, happens,” Trout said. “I’ll come in (Tuesday) and do the same thing because it’s working for me.”

“He just missed one earlier, and you could see his swings were good,” Angles’ interim manager Phil Nevin said, according to ESPN. “You knew if the guy missed down in the zone there, he might get one. And sure enough, the first pitch of that at-bat, he threw a fastball down in the zone and Trouty got it. It was a big homer in a big spot to tie the game and really gave us a lot of life.”

Despite Trout’s brilliance, the Angels fell to defeat against the Guardians and continued their dismal season. The LA team now owns a 61-80 record and have only won more games than the Oakland Athletics in the AL West.

Both managers were ejected in the seventh inning following arguments on the sideline. Guardians manager Terry Francona was sent packing by the umpire crew chief when he remonstrated that Andrés Giménez was hit by a pitch. Following a delay, Nevin joined his opposite number after he complained that pitcher Ryan Tepera wasn’t allowed any warm-up throws.

Following the chaos, it was the Guardians who won out. At the bottom of the seventh, Ahmed Rosario hit an RBI double to drive in a run, before Emmanuel Clase pitched a perfect ninth to close out the game.

Trout’s strong season

Trout’s run of form marks a remarkable turn in fortunes for the center fielder this season.

After just playing 36 games last season due to injuries, Trout had a strong start to the year where he hit .302/.402/.636 with a 190 wRC+ until May.

But he followed that with a career-low hitless streak where he went 0-26 before being ruled out of the All-Star Game with a rare back condition. Trout was diagnosed with a costovertebral dysfunction at T5, a condition which affects the vertebrate.

Following back spasms and complaints of rib pain, Trout was finally given a diagnosis which initially looked like, at best, it would force him to miss the rest of the season.

But the second-highest paid player in the MLB made a swift recovery, making his return on August 19.

Since coming back, the three-time American League MVP has been in superb form, batting .313/.367/.747 with 11 home runs and 18 RBIs in 21 games.

During his seven-game HR streak, he has batted .417/.462/1.250 and has 11 RBI.

It represents a great comeback from the slugger whose career looked in doubt following the diagnosis.

Trout has already passed Bobby Bonds’ record of five games in a row with homers for the Angels, and he will join even more prestigious company if he lands another one tonight.

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