Homer-happy Angels out to flex muscles vs. Pirates

The Los Angeles Angels are enjoying quite the power surge.

The Angels set a franchise record against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday by hitting a home run in their 19th straight game. The previous mark was set in 1982.

Los Angeles will look to display the power once again on Saturday when it continues its three-game series against Pittsburgh in Anaheim, Calif.

The Angels benefited from four different players going deep en route to an 8-5 victory over the Pirates in the opener.

Los Angeles' Shohei Ohtani allowed a career-worst four home runs to Pittsburgh but contributed at the plate with three walks and two runs.

Pittsburgh rookie Henry Davis homered twice off Ohtani, becoming the first major league player to do so. He finished with three hits on Friday and Ji Man Choi and Jack Suwinski also went deep in the loss.

Left-hander Ryan Borucki (1-0, 4.63 ERA) will make his first start since the 2019 season when he takes the mound Saturday for the Pirates, who have lost 13 of their past 16 games.

Borucki picked up the win on Wednesday after allowing one run on one hit in 1 1/3 innings in a 7-5 victory over the Cleveland Guardians.

He is 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA in seven career relief appearances against the Angels.

Pittsburgh rookie Jared Triolo is making the most of his opportunity after being called up in late June. He is riding a 13-game hitting streak.

"We knew he could hit," Pirates manager Derek Shelton said, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "But offensively, one thing that has stood out is that he takes aggressive swings. ... the fact that he's ready to hit on every pitch is important.

Angels right fielder Mickey Moniak extended his hitting streak to 11 games on Friday. Moniak drove in a run with a double Friday to give him 10 RBIs during the streak.

Left-hander Reid Detmers (2-6, 4.42) will get the nod for the surging Angels, who have won four in a row.

Detmers received a no-decision in his most recent start after allowing four runs on five hits in six innings against the Houston Astros.

He has yet to face the Pirates in his young career.

It's been two-plus weeks since Mike Trout fractured the hamate bone in his left hand on July 3, but the outfielder said his stitches have been removed and he is back to throwing. The three-time American League MVP is expected back in August.

Ohtani also has been banged up as of late, with the right-hander playing through a cracked fingernail and a blister on the middle finger of his throwing hand.

Angels manager Phil Nevin said after the game that it was not an issue for Ohtani.

"His finger was fine, he ran the bases four times and it seems the more times he's on the base the fatigue sets in a little earlier," Nevin said. "There's never mental stuff with him; he's the most mentally strong person I've ever been around."