Jared Walsh homers in the 11th to lead Angels to victory over Rockies

  • Los Angeles Angels’ Albert Pujols, left, chats with Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado in the fourth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • Los Angeles Angels’ Albert Pujols gestures as he pulls into second base with an RBI-double off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland in the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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  • Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado picks up a ground ball in the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • Los Angeles Angels’ Albert Pujols, front, claps after reching second base with an RBI-double as Colorado Rockies second baseman Ryan McMahon looks to the outfield for the throw in the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • Los Angeles Angels’ Albert Pujols, right, gestures after reaching second base with a double off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland as Rockies second baseman Ryan McMahon looks on in the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • Los Angeles Angels’ Albert Pujols connects for a double off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland in the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • Los Angeles Angels’ Albert Pujols, front, gestures to the dugout after reaching second base with an RBI-double as Colorado Rockies second baseman Ryan McMahon heads back to his position in the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout pulls in a fly ball in the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • Los Angeles Angels’ Albert Pujols, right, connects for a single as Colorado Rockies catcher Tony Wolters looks for the pitch in the fourth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout crosses home plate to score on a sacrifice fly hit in the fourth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Albert Pujols follows the flight of his fly out against Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland in the second inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • Colorado Rockies’ Tony Wolters slides safely into home plate to score on a sacrifice fly hit by Charlie Blackmon off Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Jaime Barria in the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • Colorado Rockies’ Nolan Arenado reacts after being called out on strikes to end the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland works against the Los Angeles Angels in the first second inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado throws to first base to put out Los Angeles Angels’ David Fletcher in the first second inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Albert Pujols waves to players in the Colorado Rockies dugout in the second inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon warms up before a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout, back, talks with home plate umpire Adam Hamari after he called out Trout on strikes to end the top of in the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani warms up before a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani warms up before a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • Los Angeles Angels third baseman Matt Thaiss warms up before a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

  • Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani warms up before a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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Jared Walsh and Jaime Barria are doing all they can late in this lost season to carve out spots with the 2021 Angels.

Walsh hit a three-run homer in the 11th inning to help the Angels to a 5-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday in Denver, a game that began with another solid start from Barria.

Walsh has now homered in his last four games, including a three-run homer that put the Angels on the way to a victory on Thursday and a game-tying blast in the eighth inning of a game the Angels lost on Friday.

This time, he came to the plate with two outs in the 11th. Jo Adell led off with a strikeout, and then Andrelton Simmons walked before David Fletcher struck out. Walsh then came up and lofted a slider from Tyler Kinley over the right field fence.

“It’s kind of an inexplicable feeling, honestly,” Walsh said. “I felt very solid contact and then I heard the dugout erupt and I kind of looked up and the ball was flying into the sky and then I can remember touching home plate and that was it. I can’t really give you too many details because I don’t know myself.”

Walsh, 27, has continued to get more comfortable in the majors after going hitless in 10 at-bats to start the season before he was sent back to Long Beach. Since returning, he’s 12 for 34 (.353) with five homers.

“He’s got power man,” Manager Joe Maddon said. “He’s got power to all fields. His hands are that good. It’s no secret why he’s been doing what he’s been doing. With good health, and maintaining some real simple mechanical issues, he can do this for a while.”

After Walsh’s homer, Matt Andriese worked the bottom of the inning to end a game in which the Angels got outstanding pitching all night in hitter-friendly Coors Field. It started with Barria and then continued with relievers Hoby Milner, Felix Peña, Mike Mayers, Ty Buttrey and Andriese.

Barria gave up two runs in 5-1/3 innings, lowering his earned run average to 3.38 after five games. He has allowed three runs or fewer in each game.

“He competes,” Maddon said. “He’s a pitcher. He’s not just out there throwing rocks. I love the way he goes about it… He’s not going to light up the gun. He looks like a (Dylan) Bundy some days, for an example. He’s got that kind of ability.”

Barria’s third career start was also at Coors Field in 2018, and he pitched 5-1/3 scoreless innings in that game.

In between his breakout season in 2018 and his rebound in 2020, there was an ugly season in 2019, when the Angels bounced Barria between Triple-A and the majors, used him after an opener, and made changes to his pitch mix.

“Now I am able to feel like I have a fresh start, a clean slate, and I’m able to get out there and be myself,” Barria said through an interpreter.

On Saturday, Barria was pulled in the sixth inning, with the game tied, and it stayed that way thanks to outstanding work from the Angels relievers. Milner, Peña and Mayers held the Rockies down to send the game to extra innings. Mayers, working for the third day in a row, retired all six batters that he faced.

One of those outs was a diving catch from Justin Upton in the eighth. Upton, who also had two hits, has struggled in the field and at the plate for the last two seasons.

In extra innings, the Angels came up empty in the top of the 10th, but then Buttrey got through the bottom of the inning. Buttrey, who suffered a blown save and a loss a night earlier, escaped the bottom of the 10th against the top of the Rockies order, striking out Trevor Story and getting Nolan Arenado on a groundout.

“He looked more assertive to me, more in attack mode,” Maddon said. “His stuff really always stays the same. No matter of how he goes about it, when he’s totally convicted to what he’s doing, and feels good about it, it’s generally a good result.”

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