OAKLAND -- It didn't take long for Michael Trout to collect his first home run of the 2017 season.
The reigning American League MVP blasted a two-run shot off A's right-hander Kendall Graveman in the third inning of the Angels' 4-2 loss to the A's on Monday night at Oakland Coliseum.
After Kole Calhoun worked a two-out walk against Graveman, Trout hammered a 2-2 fastball to left field to put the Angels ahead, 2-1. The ball left the bat at 113.4 mph at a 19-degree launch angle and traveled a projected 383 feet in 4.1 seconds, according to Statcast™. It was Trout's fourth-hardest hit home run of the Statcast™ Era.
"I put a good swing on it," Trout said. "A couple good at-bats tonight. You get into the season and you get so anxious and you want to do good. Keeping it simple helps you calm yourself."
Trout, 25, now has three career Opening Day home runs, tying Joe Rudi and Tim Salmon for the franchise record. His two previous inaugural blasts came in '14 and '15 off the Mariners' Felix Hernandez.
Trout also doubled in the eighth off Ryan Madson to put the tying run at second base with two outs for the Angels. The A's subsequently issued a no-pitch intentional walk to Jose Pujols, who became the first Angels player to be awarded an automatic walk under Major League Baseball's new rule.
"I looked up and he was on first base," Trout said. "It was a different. He was laughing, I was laughing. It took me a little bit to figure out what happened."
Still, Madson then induced a forceout from C.J. Cron, quashing the Angels' best hope for a late-inning rally. The Halos have now lost four consecutive season openers.
"It's not a good feeling when you don't win," Trout said. "But we'll come get them tomorrow."