ANAHEIM — As he works to get his offense to the lofty heights that are expected, Angels rookie Christian Moore is making plays on the lesser-regarded side of his game.

Expected to be a work in progress on defense at second base, Moore has instead thrived there in less than two weeks as a major leaguer.

While Moore made a diving catch to preserve a 2-2 tie in the eighth inning last week against Baltimore, which ended in a 3-2 loss in 10 innings. Instead, he is particularly fond of a catch he made in shallow right field in the fourth inning Monday against Boston. That ended in a 9-5 win.

“I think the over-the-shoulder catch (Monday) was pretty cool,” Moore said. “I haven’t really done that that much in my career so that was definitely one that felt pretty good.”

That wasn’t even his only defensive play of note from Monday’s game.

“You can’t be a one-dimensional player,” interim manager Ray Montgomery said. “What I have been most impressed with, quite honestly, is just his awareness on plays, both pre and post play. (There) was the catch but there was a double play behind him and him, and (third baseman) Luis (Rengifo) switching places was really impressive.”

On that play, Moore made a tag during a rundown between second and third then turned and fired back to Rengifo, who was covering second base, to finish off the double play by cutting down Abraham Toro as he tried to advance.

Moore didn’t have a hit in four trips to the plate Monday and yet he still managed to deliver two RBIs. He had a bases-loaded walk in the first and a sacrifice fly in the eighth for what would end up being the winning run.

“As you get more reps out there, get more innings, it definitely feels a little more normal,” Moore said. “And I’m starting to get to that point mentally where it’s starting to slow down and just become baseball again. I feel like things are getting back to how they used to be.”

And how things used to be was a .302 batting average with 11 home runs and 52 RBIs in 79 minor league games with the Angels. Going back a bit further, there was a .338 batting average, 1.144 OPS, 61 home runs and 160 RBIs in 186 games over three college seasons at Tennessee.

“I’m 22 years old, I’m young so obviously there are a lot of things that are new,” Moore said. “I opened up) at Baltimore, at New York and that was a lot, but it was great. I’m glad I got to experience that.”

FEELING FINE

A day after Kenley Jansen left his outing in the ninth inning after four pitches, the Angels continue to say it was a pectoral muscle cramp that was the culprit and the team’s closer is just fine.

It was not known if Jansen would get the day off Tuesday, even in the event of a save situation.

Jansen has converted all 15 of his save opportunities in his first season with the club. Monday’s outing was not in a save situation and Hector Neris came on the record the final three outs in the 9-5 victory.

INTO THE BOOKS

Zach Neto needs just two stolen bases for 50 in his three-year career and six home runs for 50 in that department as well. But he is closer to a franchise record of a different kind.

With his next home run to lead off a game for the club, Neto will have seven in a single season to tie for the franchise record with Brian Downing (1987).

Tony Phillips (1995) and Downing (1982) are tied with Neto for second-most all time at six.

Neto’s most recent leadoff home run came Monday against the Red Sox, which was his 12th overall on the season.