ARLINGTON, Texas — Hunter Renfroe picked a good time to show signs of snapping out of his slump.
Renfroe hit an opposite-field two-run homer in the sixth inning to give the Angels the lead on their way to a 7-3 victory over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night, their second straight come-from-behind victory in two games to start this four-game series against the AL West-leading Rangers.
Renfroe had been in a 10-for-62 slump over the previous month – a slide that prompted him to be moved as low as No. 7 in the lineup – before lofting one just over the right field fence to give the Angels a lead.
In the ninth, Zach Neto hit a two-run homer and Brandon Drury drove in a run with a two-out single, padding the lead to four runs.
Closer Carlos Estevez was still needed to get the final two outs of the ninth, converting his 18th save in 18 tries this season. Relievers Jimmy Herget, Aaron Loup, José Soriano and Jacob Webb formed a bridge from starter Jaime Barria to Estévez. Angels relievers have not allowed an earned run in 11-2/3 innings in the first two games of this series.
The Angels, who have won eight of their last nine games, moved within 4½ games of the Rangers.
The Angels sent Barría to the mound on Tuesday, and he wasn’t quite as sharp as he had been lately, allowing three runs in 4-1/3 innings. Barria had not allowed a homer in a span of 37-1/3 innings, from his first outing of the season through the second inning on Tuesday night.
He hung a slider to Nathaniel Lowe in the third, and Lowe lifted it into the seats beyond the left field fence for a two-run homer.
Two innings later, Barria gave up a solo homer to Corey Seager, putting the Angels down 3-1.
In between those, center fielder Mickey Moniak saved the Angels a run by leaping at the fence to rob Ezequiel Duran of a homer in the fourth inning.
The Angels, who overcame a 5-1 deficit on Monday, climbed out of a two-run hole in the sixth inning on Tuesday.
Shohei Ohtani and Drury each singled. The Angels then scored a run when Seager, the shortstop, lost control of the ball while trying to turn a double play.
Renfroe then homered against rookie Owen White – a touted prospect making his big league debut – to put the Angels on top.
