ANAHEIM -- Some players go multiple seasons before hitting their first career triple.
But Angels outfield prospect Matthew Lugo got it out of the way early, as his first Major League hit was an RBI triple in the fourth inning of a 5-2 win over the Orioles on Saturday night at Angel Stadium. He became the first Angels player to have his first big league hit be a triple since David Fletcher accomplished the feat in his debut on June 13, 2018. He’s also the fourth to do it in franchise history, joining Fletcher, Thad Bosley and Gil Flores, who both did it in '77.
“Just incredible,” Lugo said. “It’s crazy, especially in my first game to contribute and help the team win with that triple and RBI. It was awesome.”
Lugo, ranked as the club’s No. 13 prospect by MLB Pipeline, was called up on his 24th birthday on Friday and officially made his debut as a pinch-runner in the eighth inning without getting an at-bat. But he made his first start on Saturday in left field and hit ninth, going 1-for-4.
He made the most of the opportunity after striking out in his first at-bat against veteran Kyle Gibson in the second inning. He bounced back in the fourth for an RBI triple off the wall in center field on a first-pitch sweeper over the middle of the plate. He crushed it, as it left the bat at 101.8 mph and nearly went out for his first career homer.
“I was hoping that it was gone,” Lugo said. “I didn't get it fully on the barrel. But I had good backspin on the ball. I stayed inside of it and I was hoping that it would get out but I'll take the triple.”
Not only did he settle for the triple, but he was able to do it in front of his mom, dad and brother who flew in from his native Puerto Rico early Friday to watch him play at Angel Stadium. It was a dream come true for Lugo, who was acquired at last year’s Trade Deadline in the deal that sent reliever Luis García to the Red Sox. He said he was nervous during his first at-bat but saw the ball well all night and was excited to share the experience with his family.
“It’s very emotional for everyone,” Lugo said. “They’ve been part of my process as well. It was a very great experience.”
Angels manager Ron Washington was pleased to see Lugo get his first hit out of the way in his first game and liked what he saw from him during his time in big league camp this spring.
“That was awesome,” Washington said. “I really thought it was gone. But now he's got his feet wet in the Major Leagues, and his first hit is a triple.”
Lugo’s triple was part of a solid offensive effort from the Angels, who are starting to show some signs of getting out of their offensive funk over the last month. They’ve scored at least five runs in five of their last seven games after previously scoring five or more runs just once in 19 games prior to this stretch.
“We really put some good at-bats together,” Washington said. “And that's what we have to keep doing, just putting them together. We needed the runs we put on the board. Because even though that team over there isn't what they have been, they still got the potential to do something real good out there.”
They scored twice in the first frame, keyed by three straight hits from Zach Neto, Nolan Schanuel and Yoán Moncada to open the inning. They tacked on two more in the fourth with Jo Adell connecting on his third homer over his last five games and Lugo’s RBI triple to score Kyren Paris after he singled.
The Angels added another run in the fifth after loading the bases with nobody out. Luis Rengifo brought home a run with an RBI groundout but they failed to add on that inning.
It was enough, however, for right-hander Jack Kochanowicz, who rebounded from a tough outing against the Tigers to allow one run over 5 2/3 innings. He was staked to a five-run lead and picked up his first win since April 5, ending a stretch of five straight starts without earning a victory.
“It’s always nice,” Kochanowicz said of the run support. “But I knew they’d get it going, no matter what.”