Mike Trout home run daily: A rookie playoff push

Today’s Mike Trout home run is another shot from his rookie season, with the Angels fighting for their playoff lives late in 2012.

The Angels were home on September 21, 2012, starting a three-game weekend set against the White Sox. Ervin Santana would strike out 11 in seven innings in this one. Jake Peavy started for Chicago.

Trout didn’t hit a home run in his previous 10 games, though he did have a .386 on-base percentage during that time. He doubled, walked, and scored once in three plate appearances against Peavy.

Up 5-1 in the seventh inning, Trout led off against reliever Brian Omogrosso with a home run over the scoreboard in right field. Scroll to 7:07 of this video to watch:

It was Trout’s 25th home run of the season, tying Ken Hunt (1961) for third all-time among rookies in franchise history, behind only Tim Salmon (31 home runs) and Mark Trumbo (29).

The win put the Angels 3½ games behind Oakland for the final American League wild card spot with 12 games to play. After this game, Trout hit .317/.451/.610 but the Angels finished four games out of a playoff berth.