Adell continues HR surge thanks to help from former Angels All-Star

DETROIT -- The home runs tend to come in bunches for Jo Adell.

The Angels outfielder launched a Statcast-projected 400-foot three-run shot to left field in the fourth inning to take the lead in a 7-4 win over the Tigers on Saturday night at Comerica Park.

That home run gave Adell -- who credits the coaching staff and Angels and Twins legend Torii Hunter with improving his approach -- four homers and nine RBIs in the past five games. He has already reached career highs with 25 homers and 70 RBIs, and there are still 45 games left in the season.

Tigers right-hander Charlie Morton struck out seven consecutive Angels early in the game before Los Angeles got two on in the fourth and Adell drilled a low-strike curveball to the seats on a 2-2 count.

What did Adell learn between going down swinging on a curve in the second and then going deep on the same pitch two innings later?

“The curveball is always a weapon,” Adell said. “It’s his weapon, and we were struggling trying to get the high ride on it to get in the strike zone. It’s a money-maker for him and it gets you off that fastball. … I got one of the few mistakes. So I was glad to be able to do something with it.”

Adell’s homer surge over the past five games came after going 14 games without going deep. He’d also endured a 3-for-25 (.120) stretch before going 2-for-4 Friday with an opposite-field homer and single.

The 26-year-old rising star has received hitting advice from Hunter that’s been quite helpful.

When asked about the best advice Hunter has given him, Adell said: “We talk about hitting a little bit. We were in Arlington and I was hitting OK, but I was struggling a little bit. He just told me, ‘Remember that when you have power, the left side of the field will show up.’ I always think about that -- that I have the full field to use.

“So that’s something that’s always been big for me -- making sure that the left side of the field will be there and focus on the middle-to-right side of the field. I do that in practice, knowing that pull-side is going to show up, but you’ve got to keep the bigger parts of the field in your work. I resort to that when I’m struggling.”

Now he’s in the middle of one of those homer modes.

He hit 11 homers in June, the most he’s recorded in one month, and homered in three consecutive games during that stretch. He hit two home runs in the same inning April 10 in Tampa.

And while the homers tend to come in streaky power surges, he’s also established career highs with a 15-game hitting streak from June 18 to July 4 and a 21-game on-base streak from June 18 to July 10.

“We talk about little spells where he’s going to go through some stuff,” Angels interim manager Ray Montgomery said. “He keeps working through everything, and every time he steps in the box he’s dangerous. If you make a mistake, he’s going to make you pay.

“He’s had to work for everything he’s earned, and he’s earned every bit of it and more. And being here for the entire evolution of it, I couldn’t be more happy.”

Adell’s developed a special relationship with Hunter, now a special advisor with the club.

“He’s the man,” Adell said. “I remember coming up with his son [Torii Hunter Jr.] through the Minor Leagues, and Torii has always been somebody I could lean on. Whenever we come to Houston and Arlington, we see him.

“He knows what it’s like, and has been in my position. He’s played with this organization and has just a really good baseball mind. He’s good to talk to about the game. And, on top of that, he’s a great person.”

Hunter, a Twins first-round Draft pick in 1993 out of Pine Bluff (Ark.) High, seeks out Adell, the Angels’ first-round pick in 2017 from Louisville (Ky.) Ballard High.

“I’ve talked to Torii a bunch, man,” said Adell, “and what a great family man, too. He’s really awesome. He’s what it’s about, man. He’s such a good dude. I love Torii.”