ANAHEIM -- Mike Trout singled home J.B. Shuck with the tie-breaking run in the eighth inning on Monday night, Raul Ibanez added a two-run triple and reliever Joe Smith got his first save for the Angels by closing out a 6-3 victory at Angel Stadium against his former team, the Indians.
Shuck opened the eighth against Justin Masterson (0-1) by reaching first when first baseman Nick Swisher bobbled a grounder. Erick Aybar sacrificed Shuck to second. With first base open, the Indians opted to pitch to Trout, who singled to left field. After an intentional walk, Ibanez chased Masterson with the triple, the 49th of his 18-year career, to right-center.
 
Angels beat Indians 6-3 with 3-run 8th
 
Smith, who pitched as a setup man for Cleveland the past five seasons, recorded just the third Angels save of 2014 to preserve the victory for Fernando Salas (2-0), who pitched a scoreless eighth.
Aybar, leading off for the first time this season, got the Angels even at 3 in the fifth inning with a two-out, two-run double pulled just inside the first-base bag.
Manager Mike Scioscia had stacked his lineup with every available left-handed hitter, because Indians starter Masterson had a .333 opponents average against lefties coming in. But Aybar's double was just the second hit by a lefty among the five Masterson gave up.
Left-hander Tyler Skaggs retired the first 10 Indians before Swisher doubled in the fourth. After a walk to Jason Kipnis, Carlos Santana ended a 0-for-12 drought by launching a 2-2 curve from Skaggs over the left-field fence for just his second homer of the season.
Skaggs exited after seven. He allowed just four hits -- two by Santana -- and the one walk while striking out a season-high seven.
The Angels took a one-run lead in the first. Trout's sinking liner to right-center eluded center fielder Michael Bourn for a triple. Trout then scored on Albert Pujols' infield out.
Earl Bloom / Special to MLB.com
 

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