Angels' Mike Trout ends hitting slump with first HR since August

Trout entered Friday batting .244 with 20 home runs and 51 RBI across 127 games. Although he had collected several hits and hard-hit doubles recently, his power had disappeared for more than a month.

Mike Trout finally rediscovers his home run swing

The drought became increasingly notable as Trout approached his career-worst mark. He went without a homer for the 27th straight game Wednesday vs. the Boston Red Sox before using the Angels’ scheduled day off Thursday to reset.

Trout wasted little time changing the story in Washington. Batting second in the opening inning, the 12-time All-Star delivered Los Angeles’ first hit and run of the three-game series.

His previous home run, a 418-foot drive vs. the Rangers, gave him at least 20 homers for the 11th season of his career. Friday’s swing moved Trout to 425 career home runs while providing another encouraging moment during a difficult season for the Angels.

The home run also gave Trout his first career blast at Nationals Park, which had been one of six active MLB stadiums where he had never gone deep. Ending his second-longest power drought provided a memorable start to Los Angeles’ final road trip through Washington.