Angels

Bridwell Helps Angels Top Twins

July 5, 2017

Parker Bridwell pitched six shutout innings and Kole Calhoun hit a home run as the Angels got by the  Twins 2-1 on Wednesday night at Target Field.

Bridwell gave up just four hits during his 98-pitch performance, improving his record to 3-1 on the season.  He struck out five and walked three.

Calhoun gave the Angels a 1-0 lead in the 1st inning with a solo blast, it was his 12th of the season, coming off of former Angel Ervin Santana.

“I wouldn’t say that early run was any comfort level. We had to keep going,” skipper Mike Scioscia said. “We just did a really good job on the mound and held those guys down tonight.”

It would stay that way until the 6th inning, when Cameron Maybin stole home on a successful double steal attempt, with Calhoun taking 2nd.

The Twins would get on the board in the 7th after an RBI single by Brian Dozier.  However, that’s as close as they would get.

Bud Norris pitched a perfect 9th inning to record his 12th save of the season.  David Hernandez and Cam Bedrosian each pitched scoreless innings of relief as well.

“Parker pitched with his back against the wall the whole game, all our guys did,” Scioscia added.

Santana (10-6) took the loss.  He pitched a complete game, giving up the two earned runs on seven hits.  He struck out five and walked two, while throwing 117 pitches.

Albert Pujols collected his 2,900th career hit in the first inning, becoming the 40th player in major league history to reach that mark.

Ricky Nolasco (4-9, 4.42 ERA) will start in Texas on Friday against Rangers LHP Cole Hamels (3-0, 4.12).  The Halos will finish up the 1st half of the season with a 3-game set against the Rangers.

Kershaw & Dodgers Get Split With Halos

June 29, 2017

Clayton Kershaw struck out 12 batters and Joc Pederson hit a three-run home run as the Dodgers defeated the Angels 6-2 on Thursday night at the Big A.  The victory salvaged a split of the four-game series between the cross-town rivals.

Kershaw became the first 12-game winner in the majors this season, improving his record to 12-2.  He gave up just one unearned run over seven innings.

The Dodgers also got solo home runs from Yasiel Puig and Chase Utley in the fifth inning.  Pederson’s sixth-inning home run came off of J.C. Ramirez (7-6), who took the loss.

The Dodgers have hit 50 home runs in the month of June.  That breaks the franchise record for home runs in a month, which was set in 1953.

Both teams exchanged runs early on.  Utley delivered a sacrifice fly in the 3rd inning, scoring Logan Forsythe.  Albert Pujols reached on a fielder’s choice to shortstop, which allowed Cameron Maybin to score in the 4th.

Kole Calhoun came up with an RBI single in the 8th inning off of Luis Avilan, which was all the scoring for the Halos.

Kenley Jansen recorded the final four outs for his 18th save of the season, but their was drama in the 8th inning.

Brandon Morrow hit Yunel Escobar with a fastball in the shoulder, which resulted in both benches and bullpens clearing.  No fights occurred, but Escobar was furious with Morrow, who was his former teammate in Toronto.  That also loaded the bases for the Angels with one out.

Morrow then struck out Luis Valbuena, then Jansen came in to retire Martin Maldonado, who flied out to center.

The Dodgers improved their record to 53-28 and have taken a 2.5 game lead over Arizona in the NL West.  The D’Backs will be visiting Dodger Stadium next week.  The Angels are 42-41 and one game out of the last AL Wild Card spot.

The Dodgers now travel to San Diego to take on the Padres for a 3-game weekend series. Alex Wood(8-0, 1.86 ERA) goes for the Dodgers on Friday.  Clayton Richard (5-7, 4.42 ERA) is on the mound for the Padres.

Meanwhile, the Angels will host the Mariners for a three-game set at the Big A.  Parker Bridwell (2-0, 2.95 ERA) gets the ball for the Halos.  Sam Gaviglio (3-2, 3.38 ERA) goes for the Mariners.

 

Angels Beat Dodgers On Throwing Error


June 28, 2017

Ben Revere scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the 9th inning after a throwing error by Yasmani Grandal, and the Angels got by the Dodgers 3-2 on Wednesday night at the Big A.

With one out in the 9th, Revere reached on an error by second baseman Chris Taylor.  He would advance to second base on a wild pitch by Pedro Baez (2-1).  Moments later, Cameron Maybin struck out swinging, but the ball got past Grandal, who raced to pick it up to try and throw out Maybin at 1st base.  However, Grandal’s throw sailed over the head of 1st baseman Chase Utley’s head, and into right field.  That allowed Revere to come home from second base for the walk-off game winner.

“That’s the game of baseball, I guess?” Revere said.  “It’s a good thing we’ve got the speed here to cause havoc on the base paths.”

In the Dodger half of the 9th inning, it looked like Grandal was going to be one of the game’s hero. He drilled a solo home run to center field that tied the game 2-2, off of Cam Bedrosian.  Bedrosian (2-0) got credit for the win.

The Boys in Blue were trailing 2-1 in the 8th inning when Trayce Thompson hit his first home run of the season, a solo blast off of Keynan Middleton, which put the Dodgers on the board.

The Halos took a 2-0 lead on a two-run homer by Andrelton Simmons in the 6th inning, coming with Kole Calhoun aboard.

Those were the only two runs of the game given up by Hyun-Jin Ryu.  He pitched 5 2/3 innings, scattering two runs on seven hits, while striking out eight and walking one.

Alex Meyer pitched even better for the Angels.  He threw six shutout innings, yielding just one hit, striking out four, while walking five.

The series finale goes down on Thursday night at the Big A.  Clayton Kershaw (11-2, 2.47 ERA) will try to help the Dodgers salvage a split of their four-game set.  JC Ramirez (7-5, 4.38 ERA) will get the ball for the Halos.

Dodgers Shut Down Angels 4-0

July 27, 2017

Joc Pederson hit a three-run homer and Kenta Maeda threw a career-high seven shutout innings, as the Dodgers shutout the Angels 4-0 on Tuesday night at the Ravine.

Maeda gave up just four hits, struck out six batters, and did not walk anybody.  He improved his record to 6-3 on the season.

All four Dodger runs came in the 6th inning.  Chase Utley lead off with a double against Jesse Chavez, then Logan Forsythe walked.  After Chris Taylor flied out to center, Utley tagged up and moved to third base.  That prompted Angels’ skipper Mike Scioscia to bring in reliever Jose Alvarez to face rookie-sensation Cody Bellinger.

Bellinger then drilled a 1-0 pitch to left center for an RBI single, which scored Utley.  Austin Barnes was up next, and his ground out to first moved Forsythe to third and Bellinger to second.  That set the stage for Pederson, who ripped an 0-1 pitch over the center field wall for his 7th home run of the season.  That gave the Dodgers a 4-0 lead, and was the only offense either team would produce on the night.

Since returning from the DL on June 13, Pederson is hitting .319 with five home runs.

Brandon Morrow pitched the final two innings for the Dodgers.  He gave up only one hit while making an efficient 16 pitches.

Jesse Chavez (5-8) took the loss but pitched well.  He pitched 5 1/3 innings, and was charged with 2 runs while giving up just two hits.  He struck out five and walked four.

Both teams rested a number of everyday players.  The Angels rested Albert Pujols and Cameron Maybin.  The Dodgers sat Yasmani Grandal, Corey Seager, Yasiel Puig, and Justin Turner.

Game 3 of the series shifts to the Big A on Wednesday night.  Hyun-Jin Ryu (3-6, 4.30 ERA) gets the ball for the Boys in Blue.  The Halos will counter with Alex Meyer (3-4, 4.20 ERA).

Halos Snap Dodger Win Streak

June 26, 2017

Yunel Escobar drove in a two runs and Ricky Nolasco pitched into the 7th inning, as the Angels surprised the Dodgers 4-0 on Monday night at the Ravine.  The Halos snapped the Dodgers 10-game win streak.

Nolasco went 6 2/3 innings, and picked up his first win in two months, improving to 3-9 on the season.  The former Dodger gave up five hits, struck out five, and walked two.  He left the game after getting hit with a line drive off the bat of Enrique Hernandez.

Cam Bedrosian, Keynan Middleton, and David Hernandez continued the shutout over the final two plus innings.

Escobar delivered a two-run single in the 3rd inning off of Rich Hill, which scored Cameron Mabyin and Kole Calhoun.

Danny Espinosa added a sacrifice fly in the 4th inning that scored Andrelton Simmons.  Martin Maldonado capped the scoring with a solo home run off of Sergio Romo in the 9th.

Hill went seven innings, giving up three runs on four hits.  His record dropped to 4-4 on the season. He struck out seven and walked two after making 99 pitches.

The shutout also meant that the Dodgers ended a streak of 17 consecutive games with at least one home run.  That tied the longest stretch since the team moved to Los Angels prior to the 1958 season.

The Angels won for the fourth time in the last five games, and moved two games over .500 at 41-39.

Game 2 of the series goes down tomorrow night at the Ravine.  Kenta Maeda (5-3, 4.62 ERA) gets the ball for the Boys in Blue.  Jesse Chavez (5-7, 5.15 ERA) takes the mound for the Halos.

Halos Take 2 of 3 From Sox

June 25, 2017

Parker Bridwell pitched a strong 6 2/3 innings and the Angels scored three big runs after an overturned call to beat the Red Sox 4-2 on Sunday afternoon at Fenway Park.

In the 2nd inning, the Angels challenged the ruling on Danny Espinosa’s 3-6-3 double play.  The call was overturned, and Espinosa was safe and credited with an RBI fielder’s choice, giving the Angels a 1-0 lead.

Kaleb Cowart followed with an RBI double, which was followed by a run scoring single from Juan Graterol.  That gave the Angels a 3-0 lead.  Cowart was recalled before the game, while reliever Eduardo Paredes was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake.

Mitch Moreland put the Red Sox on the board in the bottom half of the inning with his 11th homer of the season.  Jackie Bradley added another solo shot in the 5th inning to make it 3-2.

Bridwell gave up just the two homers among seven hits.  He struck out four and did not walk a batter while making 75 pitches.

The Halos would add an insurance run in the 9th inning when Cowart delivered an RBI single.  Yusmeiro Petit pitched the final two innings to earn his first save of the season.

Doug Fister got his first start of the year for the Red Sox.  He was released by the Angels earlier in the week.  Fister (0-1) took the loss but pitched reasonably well.  He went six innings, giving up three runs on seven hits.  He struck out six and walked three.

The win moved the Angels one game over .500 with a record of 40-39.  It also kept them in the thick of the AL Wild Card race.

The Angels now begin a four-game series with the Dodgers beginning Monday night at the Ravine.  The first two games will be in LA, while the next two will shift down the freeway to the Big A.  Game 1 will be Ricky Nolasco (2-9, 5.23 ERA) on the hill for the Halos.  He’s lost his last seven decisions.  He’ll be opposed by Rich Hill (4-3, 4.73 ERA).

 

Ramirez Leads Angels Past Red Sox

June 24, 2017

JC Ramirez pitched six strong innings for the Halos on Saturday night at Fenway Park, as the Angels knocked off the Red Sox 6-3.

Ramirez allowed one run and four hits with five strikeouts.  He improved his record to 7-5 on the season.

Martin Malonado gave the Angels a 1-0 lead with an RBI single in the 1st, but Mitch Moreland tied the game at 1-1 with a solo homer in the bottom half of the inning.

Eric Young Jr. delivered an RBI double in the 4th to give the Angels the lead again.  Luis Valbuena contributed a sac fly in the 6th, then Cameron Maybin doubled in Cliff Pennington in the 7th.  Maybin would score on Fernando Abad’s balk.

Red Sox manager John Farrell was ejected by third-base umpire and crew chief Bill Miller for arguing Abad’s walk.

The Red Sox would get a pair of runs in the 9th off of Cam Bedrosian, but it wasn’t enough.  Blake Parker came in to record the final out of the game for his 1st save of the season.

David Price (2-2) started for the Sox.  He gave up three runs (two of them earned) on six hits.  He struck out five and walked one while taking the loss.

The rubber game of the three-game set will be on Sunday afternoon at Fenway.  Parker Bridwell (1-0, 3.07 ERA) gets the start for the Halos.  Doug Fister makes his first start of the season for the Sox after getting waived by the Angels.

 

Red Sox Rough Up Angels


June 23, 2017

Hanley Ramirez and Sandy Leon each hit two-run homers, as the Red Sox crushed the Angels 9-4 on Friday night at Fenway Park.  The Red Sox honored legend David Ortiz before the game, retiring Big Papi’s number 34.

It was a rough night for Angel starter Alex Meyer (3-4), who took the loss.  Meyer lasted just 3 1/3 innings, giving up five runs on five hits.

The Angel bullpen didn’t fare much better.  Eduardo Paredes gave up two runs in a little more than two innings of work.  Jose Alvarez also gave up two runs.

Boston jumped in front 3-0 in the 1st inning, highlighted by a Xander Bogaerts RBI double,  Meyer uncorked a pair of wild pitches after that, allowing the Sox two add two more runs.

After Ramirez two-run blast in the 4th inning, the Red Sox had built a 5-1 lead.  Meyer was critical of his own performance afterward.

“It’s unacceptable,” he said.  “You can’t go out there and put two guys on basically before the game starts.”

After Leon made it 7-1, the Angels got three runs back in the 7th.  Martin Maldonado sparked the rally with an RBI triple, followed by RBI doubles from Cliff Pennington and Kole Calhoun.  That’s all the Halos would though.

Leon capped the scoring for the Sox with an RBI double in the 8th inning.  That was all Red Sox starter Rick Porcello needed.

Porcello (4-9) got the win and pitched 6 1/3 innings.  His final line was four runs on eight hits, while striking out eight.

The Angels and Red Sox will be back at it on Saturday night at Fenway.  JC Ramirez (6-5, 4.59 ERA) goes for the Halos.  David Price (2-1, 5.14 ERA) will be on the mound for Boston.

Angels Outslug Yankees 10-5

June 22, 2017

The Angels rallied for four runs in the 7th inning on Thursday night, defeating the Yankees 10-5 at Yankee Stadium.  The Halos took two out of three games from New York.

That 7th inning featured three errors and two wild pitches by the Yankees.  Albert Pujols delivered a run-scoring single that gave the Angels the lead for good, scoring Cameron Maybin.

Maybin also lead off the game with a home run against Luis Severino, who took the loss and fell to 5-3 on the season.  Maybin stole his AL-high 22nd base, and scored three times.  He has safely reached in a career-high 26 straight games.

Yusmeiro Petit (2-0) threw two perfect innings in relief of starter Jesse Chavez to get the win.  The Angels trailed 5-1 before scoring nine unanswered runs.

“You get knocked down,” Maybin said, “but we don’t get knocked out.”

Aaron Judge connected on a three-run homer that was his major league-leading 25th home run of the season.

The Angels are back at .500 with a record of 38-38.  They are 1.5 games out of the 2nd and final AL Wild Card spot.

Alex Meyer (3-3, 3.52 ERA) will get the start on Friday as the Angels open up a 3-game series with the Red Sox at Fenway Park.  Rick Porcello (3-9, 5.05 ERA) gets the ball for the Sox.

Yankees Double Up Angels 8-4


June 21, 2017

Didi Gregorius and Matt Holiday each hit home runs, as the Yankees beat the Angels 8-4 on Wednesday night in Yankee Stadium.  The Yankees snapped a 7-game losing skid.

Angel starter Ricky Nolasco was roughed up again, falling to 2-9 on the season.  Nolasco went 5 1/3 innings, giving up five runs on seven hits, including two home runs.

After the Angels fell behind 2-0, Martin Maldonado tied the game with a 2-run shot in the 2nd inning, with Andrelton Simmons aboard.  That came off of Yankee starter Jordan Montgomery.

Montgomery improved to 5-4 on the season, giving up two runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Maldonado tacked on another meaningless two-run homer in the 9th inning, pulling the Halos within 8-4, but that’s as close as they would come.

After Holiday’s home run gave the Yankees a 3-2 lead, New York would add two more runs in the sixth, and two more in the 7th to put the game out of reach.

Angels reliever Mike Morin came out of the bullpen to pitch 1 2/3 innings.  He gave up three runs on five hits during that stretch.

The Angels and Yankees will do it again on Thursday, in the rubber game of the three-game set.   Jesse Chavez (5-7, 4.85 ERA) is on the hill for the Halos.  Luis Severino (5-2, 2.99 ERA) goes for New York.

 

Angels Top Yankees 8-3

June 20, 2017

Cameron Maybin hit a tie-breaking solo homer in the 7th inning, as the Angels took down the Yankees 8-3 on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium.

Maybin’s homer was part of a three-run 7th, which also included a Yunel Escobar RBI triple, and an RBI single from Luis Valbuena.

The three runs came against Yankees’ reliever Tyler Clippard, who took the loss and fell to 1-4 on the season.

The Halos would put the game out of reach with some insurance runs in the 8th and 9th inning.  Maybin delivered an infield single, scoring Martin Maldonado.  Luis Valubena hit a solo shot in the 9th.

Blake Parker (3-2) got credit for the win after coming in to pitch the 6th inning.  He gave up a solo homer to Gary Sanchez that tied the game at 3-3.

The Angels took a 3-0 lead behind an Albert Pujols RBI single, and RBI double from Danny Espinosa, and a run-scoring single from Kole Calhoun.

The Yankees rallied against Halos’ starter Parker Bridwell, who allowed a sacrifice fly from Chase Headley in the 4th, followed by Aaron Judge’s 24th homer of the season in the 5th.

Bridwell went five innings, giving up two runs on on two hits, striking out three and walking five.  He made 95 pitches.

The Angels moved back to .500, while the Yankees have now lost seven straight games.

Game 2 of the series will be tomorrow night in the Big Apple.  Ricky Nolasco (2-8, 5.01 ERA) starts for the Angels.  Jordan Montgomery (4-4, 3.78 ERA) goes for the Yankees.

Royals Have Their Way With Angels

June 18, 2017

Salvador Perez hit a three-run homer in the 4th inning, and the Royals took down the Angels 7-3 on Sunday afternoon at the Big A.  The win was the third victory over the Halos during the four-game weekend series.

Former Angel Jason Vargas improved his record to 10-3 with six strong innings of work. He gave up three-runs on eight hits.

The Angels jumped in front 2-0 in the 1st inning on an RBI double from Kole Calhoun and a run-scoring single from Andrelton Simmons.

Mike Moustakas answered with a three-run double in the third inning off of Angels’ starter JC Ramirez to give the Royals the lead right back.

A sacrifice fly by Eric Hosmer in the 4th inning made it 4-2 Royals.  Then came the big blow by Perez in the 4th.

A sacrifice fly by Ben Revere in the 6th got the Angels a run back, but that was all the offense they could put together on this afternoon.

Ramirez (6-5) took the loss after yielding five runs on five hits in three innings of work.  He struck out six and walked four, while making a very inefficient 89 pitches.

The Halos had to burn five relievers over the next six innings.  Keynan Middleton was charged with a pair of runs in the fourth inning.

Kelvin Herrera came in for the 9th inning to record his 15th save of the season for Kansas City.

The Halos fall one game under .500 now at 36-37.  They are way out of the AL West race, but still have a shot at the AL Wild Card.

After an off-day on Monday, the Angels will travel to New York to open a 3-game series with the Yankees.  Ricky Nolasco (2-8, 5.01 ERA) will start for the Halos in game 1.  The Yankees will go with Michael Pineda (7-3, 3.71 ERA).

Angels’ Bats Come Alive Against KC

June 17, 2017

Alex Meyer threw six shutout innings and the Angels hit three home runs, as they defeated the Royals 9-0 on Saturday night at the Big A.

Cameron Maybin, Luis Valbuena, and Albert Pujols hit home runs.  The Halos put together a 13-hit attack.

Maybin hit a leadoff homer in the first inning, Pujols had a two-run shot in the fifth and Valbuena added a three-run homer in the seventh.

The story was Meyer though.  He improved his record to 3-3 on the season. He gave up only a pair of singles, struck out nine, and walked one.

“The more you go out there, the more confident you get,” Meyer said. “I definitely feel it’s another step in the right direction.”

Blake Parker, Cam Bedrosian and Yusmeiro Petit came out of the bullpen to combine for the Angels’ fourth shutout of the season.

Jake Junis (2-1) got the first loss of his career, surrendering five runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.

The Angels placed pitcher Matt Shoemaker on the 10-day DL on Saturday with forearm tightness.   Parker Bridwell was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake to take his roster spot.  Bedrosian (groin) was also activated from the DL and RHP Daniel Wright returned to Salt Lake.

The Angels will try to salvage a split of their four-game series with KC on Sunday afternoon at the Big A.  JC Ramirez (6-4, 4.19 ERA) gets the ball for the Halos.  The Royals will counter with Jason Vargas (9-3, 2.10 ERA).  Vargas has the 2nd lowest ERA in the majors this season.

Angels Still Can’t Solve Royals

June 16, 2017Lorenzo Cain hit a pair of home runs and had 3 RBI, as the Royals defeated the Angels 3-1 on Friday night at the Big A.Ian Kennedy (1-6) picked up the win, retiring the first 17 batters that he faced.  It was the Royals sixth straight win and ended his sixteen-start winless streak.The Angels finally broke up Kennedy’s perfect game in the 6th on a solo home run from Cliff Pennington.  It was Pennington’s first homer since last August.Kelvin Herrera pitched the ninth for his 14th save in 16 chances for Kansas City.  The Royals improved to 5-0 against the Angels this season.Jesse Chavez (5-7) took the loss after yielding two runs on nine hits.  He went seven innings but he has now allowed at least one homer in 12 straight appearances.  That’s the longest streak in the majors.The Halos will try to find the win column on Saturday night.  Alex Meyer (2-3, 4.05 ERA) will be on the mound for the Angels.  Jakob Junis (2-0, 4.67 ERA) gets the start for KC.

Royals Beat Up Angels

June 15, 2017

Lorenzo Cain and Alex Gordon came through with solo homers, as the Royals beat up the Angels 7-2 on Thursday night at the Big A.

It was another tough outing for Angel starter Ricky Nolasco (2-8), who lost his sixth straight start.  Nolasco gave up five runs on ten hits in six innings of work.

The Royals have now won five straight games, and provided plenty of run support for starter Matt Strahm (2-3).  Strahm went five innings, striking out three while giving up three hits and one walk.  It was his first-career start after working as a reliever over the past two seasons.

The Halos took a 1-0 lead after Kole Calhoun scored an unearned run after a single by Albert Pujols.  Calhoun had reached second base after an error by Gordon.

However, the Royals scored four unanswered runs over the next two innings.  That rally was highlighted by Cain and Gordon’s solo blasts in the 3rd and 4th innings, respectively.

The Halos second run of the game came on an RBI single by Yunel Escobar.  However, the Royals answered with three more runs in the 7th inning.

Game two of the series is tomorrow night at the Big A.  Jesse Chavez (5-6, 5.06 ERA) will try to keep the ball in the yard against a red hot Royals team.  Ian Kennedy (0-6, 5.40 ERA) looks for his first win of the season for KC.

Angels Beat Yanks But Lose Shoemaker

June 14, 2017

Danny Espinosa and Andrelton Simmons hit home runs, and the Angels rallied past the Yankees 7-5 on Wednesday night at the Big A.

Unfortunately for the Halos, starter Matt Shoemaker left the game with an injury.  Shoemaker departed in the 4th inning with tightness in his forearm.

“I’m really annoyed and frustrated by it because I wanted to go out and pitch and help our team win,” Shoemaker said. “I’m not really concerned about it at all. We’re going to see the next couple days how it reacts. It should be fine.”

Eric Young Jr. had two more hits including an RBI single.  He also threw out a runner at the plate and made a diving catch.  Young’s single snapped a 4-4 tie, after the Halos fell behind 4-0.

Simmons homer came in the 7th inning off of Yankees rookie Ronald Herrera, who was making his major league debut.  Herrera took the loss.

Blake Parker (1-1) got credit for the win after pitching 1 1/3 innings of solid relief.  David Hernandez pitched the 9th inning to record his 1st save.

Up the next the Angels will open a four-game series against the Royals beginning Thursday at the Big A.  Ricky Nolasco (2-7, 4.81 ERA) tries to find the win column for the Halos against Matt Strahm (1-3, 4.50 ERA).

Young Helps Angels Outlast Yankees

June 13, 2017

Erick Young Jr. hit a home run and drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning, as the Angels got the by Yankees 3-2 on Tuesday night at the Big A.

In the 11th inning, Andrelton Simmons walked with one out.  After CJ Cron flied out, Simmons stole second.  A Martin Maldonado groundout back to the box allowed Simmons to move to 3rd.  Cliff Pennington walked, and that set the stage for Young, who hit a line drive that was deflected by Yankees relief pitcher Ben Heller, allowing Andrelton Simmons to score the game-winning run from 3rd.

Young also led-off the 8th inning with a home run that tied the game at 2-2.  The ball traveled over the right field wall, 382 feet.

Chase Headley gave the Yankees a 2-1 lead with a solo shot to center field in the 7th inning.  It came off of Angel starter JC Ramirez.

Ramirez went 6 2/3 innings giving up 2 runs on 5 hits.  He struck out 7 and walked 3, but did not factor into the decision.

Keynan Middleton (2-0) got credit for the win.  He recorded the final 2 outs of the 11th inning after coming in with one out and the bases loaded.

Yusmeiro Petit, Bud Norris, Mike Morin, and Middleton combined for 5 1/3 innings of shutout relief.

The Angels took a 1-0 lead in the 4th inning on an RBI single from CJ Cron.  The Yankees would tie the game in the 5th on a run-scoring single by Brett Gardner.

CC Sabathia started for the Yankees.  He only lasted four innings giving up 1 run on 3 hits.  He departed after 64 pitches with a strained left hamstring.  Chasen Shreve (1-1) took the loss after being charged with the game-winning run.

The rubber game of the three-game set will be on Wednesday night at the Big A.  Matt Shoemaker (6-3, 4.22 ERA) goes for the Halos.  New York will counter with Michael Pineda (7-3, 3.39 ERA).

 

Angels Can’t Contain Yankees

June 12, 2017

Aaron Judge hit a 2-run homer in the top of the 8th inning which proved to be the decisive blow, as the Yankees defeated the Angels 5-3 on Monday night at the Big A.

Judge’s homer came off of Bud Norris with Aaron Hicks aboard, and traveled 438 feet over the right center field wall.  It was his major league-leading 22nd homer of the season.  Judge, who grew up in Linden, Calif. — nearly 400 miles north of Anaheim — was met with “M-V-P” chants fans in the stands after rounding the bases.

The Angels trailed 3-1 after a pair of RBI singles by Didi Gregorious in the 3rd and 5th, and a run scoring single from Chase Headley in the 7th.

Kole Calhoun hit a solo home run for the Halos in the 1st to give them a 1-0 lead.  They rallied in the 7th inning behind an RBI single from Danny Espinosa and an RBI double from Cameron Maybin to tie the game at 3-3.

Jose Alvarez (0-3) took the loss after giving up a one-out double to Hicks before Juge’s two-run homer.

Alex Meyer started for the Angels, giving up 2 runs on 5 hits, while lasting on 4 2/3 innings.  He made 93 pitches.

Tyler Clippard (1-3) got credit for the win.  Dellin Betances struck out the side in the ninth for his sixth save, his first since May 27.

Masahiro Tanaka  went 6 2/3 innings while allowing just one earned run (three total) on four hits.

The Angels and Yankees will go at it again tomorrow night at the Big A.  J.C. Ramirez (6-4, 6.55 ERA) gets the ball for the Halos.  He’ll be opposed by C.C. Sabathia  (7-2, 3.66 ERA).

Angels Outslug 12-6 Astros

June 11, 2017

Eric Young had a three-run homer and drove in four runs as the Angels beat the Astros 12-6 on Sunday afternoon at Minute Maid Park.

Young”s three-run shot in the fifth broke a 6-6 tie and gave the Halos the lead for good. The four RBI were a career-high for Young.

Albert Pujols drilled a solo homer and Kole Calhoun had two hits and three RBI as well.

After taking two out of three from Houston, the Halos are the first AL West team to win a series from the Astros this season.

Jesse Chavez had a rough outing for Angels. He pitched 3 2/3 innings, yielding six runs on four hits. However, the Angels used six relievers to shut down the ‘Stros the rest of the way.

Keynan Middleton (1-0) got credit for the win after pitching the 5th inning.

Michael Feliz (2-1) took the loss for the ‘Stros. He gave up four runs on three hits in the 5th inning.

The Angels will now head back to Anaheim open a 3-game set with the Yankees on Monday night.  Alex Meyer (2-3, 4.08 ERA) gets the ball for the Halos.  Masahiro Tanaka (5-6, 6.55 ERA) goes the the Yankees.

Angels Stifled By Fiers & Astros

June 10, 2017
Mike Fiers allowed just one unearned on two hits, while pitching 7 1/3 innings, as the Astros topped the Angels 3-1 on Saturday night at Minute Maid Park.Fiers improved to 4-2 on the season, striking out eight batters and walking 2.  He made 95 pitches on the night.”He didn’t do anything that we haven’t seen before, but he was doing it well,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “He changed speeds, had a good breaking ball and change up going as well.”Brian McCann put Houston up 1-0 with his solo shot to right field off Ricky Nolasco with one out in the second.  Nolasco fell to 2-7 on the season after giving up 2 runs on 8 hits in seven innings of work.Yuli Gurriel added a sacrifice fly in the 5th, scoring McCann, which made it 2-0.The Halos would cut the lead in half in the 8th, after Andrelton Simmons groundout to short scored Luis Valbuena.  Carlos Correa made a throwing error earlier in the inning, opening the door for the Halos to get on the board with an unearned run.However, Correa made up for it with an RBI single in the 8th inning off of Yusmeiro Petit, adding an insurance run and making it 3-1.Ken Giles pitched the 9th inning, striking out three batters in a scoreless inning for his 16th save of the season.Sunday will be the rubber game of the three-game set.   Jesse Chavez (5-6, 4.56 ERA) will start for the Halos in the finale.   David Paulino (0-0, 4.66) is scheduled to make his third start of the season for Houston.

Angels Take Down Astros

June 9, 2017

Cameron Maybin came off the disabled listed and came up with three hits and a career-high four steals, as the Angels defeated the Astros 9-4 on Friday night at Minute Maid Park.

“I just really enjoy just creating some havoc out there, putting some pressure on the guys,” Maybin said. “I’ve always been pretty good at getting bags and tonight they just didn’t do a great job of holding me and I got some really good jumps out there.”

Matt Shoemaker improved to 6-3 after pitching 7 strong innings, and Martin Maldonado added a 2-run homer in the 7th inning.  Kole Calhoun also had three RBI, as the Halos won for the third time in four games.

Houston starter Brad Peacock (3-1) took the loss,  allowing a season-high seven hits and tied a season high with four runs in just three innings.

Maybin singled with no outs in fourth, stole second base and later advanced to third on an error by third baseman Bregman. The Angels extended to the lead to 5-2 when he scored on a single by Calhoun.

Shoemaker had retired 13 straight before Marwin Gonzalez singled with one out in the seventh. Bregman followed with his homer to left field to cut the lead to 8-4. Shoemaker yielded seven hits and four runs while striking out four.

Ricky Nolasco (2-6, 5.05 ERA) will pitch for Los Angeles on Saturday.  Mike Fiers (3-2, 4.84) is set to start for Houston.

Angels Rally To Beat Tigers

June 8, 2017

Erick Young Jr. had three hits and scored three runs, as the Angels rallied to beat the Tigers 11-4 on Thursday afternoon Comerica Park.

The Halos trailed 4-1 heading into the 5th inning, but they rallied for four runs to take the lead.  Albert Pujols hit a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Andrelton Simmons, which broke the tie and gave the Angels the lead for good.

The Angels exploded for 6 more runs in the 7th.  With the bases loaded, CJ Cron delivered a 2-run single, scoring Simmons and Kole Calhoun.

Moments later Young Jr delivered a run scoring single, Danny Espinosa drove in two more with another single, followed by Simmons RBI single.

JC Ramirez got the win, improving to 6-4 on the season.  He gave up 4 runs on 10 hits in 5 innings of work.

Michael Fulmer took the loss, falling to 6-4 for the Tigers.  He yielded 5 runs on 9 hits in 4 1/3 innings of work.

The Angels now travel to Houston for a 3-game set with the Astros beginning Friday.  RHP Matt Shoemaker (5-3, 4.12 ERA), who is 4-1 in his last five starts, pitches the opener.  Brad Peacock (3-0, 2.30 ERA) goes for the Astros.

Tigers Shut Down Angels 4-0

June 7, 2017

Buck Farmer allowed just three hits in 6 2/3 innings, and Justin Upton hit a 3-run homer, as the Tigers shutout the Angels 4-0 on Wednesday night at Comerica Park.

Farmer has not allowed a run in either of his two starts, and outdueled Alex Meyer, who also pitch well for the Halos.

Meyer allowed three hits in six strong innings of work, but fell to 2-3 on the season.  He walked four and struck out nine, however, he allowed an unearned run in the third.  A hit batter, a walk and an error loaded the bases with nobody out.  Victor Martinez bounced into a double play, resulting in the first run of the game.

“I can’t walk that many guys, and it is something I need to fix,” Meyer said. “I thought I did a really good job of limiting hits, but I want to do both.”

Upton’s blast to left field added some insurance for the Tigers in the 8th, which was his 12th of the season.

The Halos got three singles on the night, and couldn’t even get a man to second base.  They fell two games below .500 on the season.

The Angels and Tigers will play the rubber game of the 3-game set on Thursday afternoon at Comerica Park.  JC Ramirez (5-4, 4.11 ERA) will be on the mound for the Halos.  Michael Fulmer (6-3, 3.00 ERA) goes for Detroit.

Cron & Calhoun Lead Halos Over Tigers

June 6, 2017

Kole Calhoun and CJ Cron hit home runs and the Angels hung on to beat the Tigers 5-3 on Tuesday night at Comerica Park.

Calhoun connected on a solo shot in the 1st inning, while Cron hit a 2-run blast in the 4th.  Both came off of Tigers’ starter Daniel Norris.  That gave the Halos a 3-0 lead.

Calhoun singled again in the 5th inning, scoring Andrelton Simmons after an error by Tigers’ center fielder Alex Presley.  He also delivered a sac fly in the 7th.

“That’s a nice win against a hot team,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “We had some trouble closing out some innings, including the ninth, but we got it done.”

Jesse Chavez got the win, improving to 5-6 on the year.  He pitched 5 2/3 innings, giving up 2 runs on 7 hits before he was pulled.  After giving up a solo homer to Alex Avila and an RBI single to Justin Upton, he was pulled from the game and seen walking off the mound yelling several expletives.  Blake Paker would come in to record the final out of the 6th to end the Tigers threat with J.D. Martinez stranded at 3rd.

Martinez would add a sac fly in the 8th inning to make it 5-3, but that’s as close as the Nationals would get.

Bud Norris pitched the 9th to record his 11th save of the season.  It wasn’t before running into some trouble though.  After recording the first two outs, Presley and Jose Iglesias singled, and both advanced to 2nd and 3rd after a wild pitch.  Ian Kinsler walked to load the bases, but Norris would strike out Avila looking to end the game.

“That was a great job by Bud,” Scioscia said. “He didn’t get a couple calls, but he got back into the at-bat with some great pitches. He knew he was playing with fire if the next guy (Miguel Cabrera) got to the plate.”

Daniel Norris (3-3) took the loss, allowing four runs — three earned — five hits and three walks in six innings.

The second game of the series will be on Wednesday.  The Halos will deploy Alex Meyer (2-2, 4.91 ERA), while the Tigers will go with Buck Farmer, who was just recalled from Triple-A.

Twins Edge Angels 3-2

June 4, 2017

Miguel Sano hit a 2-run homer in the 6th inning off of Ricky Nolasco, and the Twins got by the Angels 3-2 on Sunday afternoon at the Big A.

Sano’s homer came with one out in the top of the 6th, and on a 1-1 pitch with Robbie Grossman aboard.  It was the decisive blow delivered by the Twins, who took three out of four games from the Angels during their weekend series.

Jason Casto also hit a solo homer in the 3rd inning for Minnesota off Nolasco, who fell to 2-6 on the season.  He gave up 3 runs on 7 hits in 5 2/3 innings of work.

After falling behind 1-0, the Angels tied things up in the 3rd when Andrelton Simmons hit into a double play, which allowed Eric Young Jr. to score.  Ben Revere delivered an RBI single in the 4th inning to give the Halos a 2-1 lead.

Jose Berrios (4-1) got the win for Minnesota after giving up just 2 runs on 6 hits, and striking out 4.  Brandon Kintzler came into record his 15th save of the season in the 9th inning.  He worked around a one out single from Ben Revere to keep the Halos off the scoreboard.

The Angels fell to 29-31 on the season with the loss.  They’ll now travel to Detroit to open a 3-game set with the Tigers on Tuesday.  Jesse Chavez (4-6, 4.68 ERA) gets the ball for the Halos, while the Tigers counter with Daniel Norris (2-3, 4.47 ERA).

Pujols Hits #600 & Halos Win

June 3, 2017

Albert Pujols hit a grand slam home run in the 4th inning, which was his 600th career long ball, as the Angels defeated the Twins 7-2 on Saturday night at the Big A.

Pujols became the 9th player in major league history to join the 600 home run club.  The 37-year-old clubbed a low pitch from former Angel Ervin Santana inside the left field foul pole, for his 14th career grand slam.  That made it 7-1 Angels, which was all the scoring they would need on this historic night in Anaheim.

The future hall of famer credited his wife, Deidre, for helping him relax and meet the moment.  She sent him a text of encouragement during the game.  “I’m glad I listen to her one in a while,” Pujols said with a smile. “At a moment like this, I always start putting pressure on myself. Usually she’ll give me some encouragement. It was just a perfect time to check my phone, and I’m glad I did.”

The Angels also got home runs from Andrelton Simmons and Kole Calhoun in the 3rd inning.  Matt Shoemaker improved to 5-3 on the season, giving up 2 runs on 5 hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Max Kepler had an RBI single in the 3rd inning, and a solo home run in the 6th inning, which accounted for all of the Twins’ runs.

Santana (7-3) took the loss, giving up 7 runs on 7 hits, over 4 innings of work.  He made 82 pitches on the night.

The series finale will be on Sunday afternoon at the Big A.   Ricky Nolasco (2-5, 5.07 ERA) faces the Twins for the first time since they traded him last season.  Jose Berrios (3-1, 2.70 ERA) makes his fifth start of the season for Minnesota.

Twins Blow Out Angels 11-5

June 2, 2017

Joe Mauer, Robbie Grossman, and Max Kepler each hit 2-run homers, as the Twins beat up the Angels 11-5 on Friday night at the Big A.

Minnesota built a 7-0 lead by the 5th inning against J.C. Ramirez (5-4).  He took the loss after getting abused for 7 runs on 8 hits in 4 1/3 innings of work.  Ramirez departed after 74 pitches.

Albert Pujols went 0-4 on the night with two strikeouts.  He remains at 599 career home runs, one short of joining the milestone 600 home run club.

The Halos got a couple of runs back in the 6th inning.  Kole Calhoun delivered one with an RBI single, and another came when Andrelton Simmons scored after Pujols grounded into a double play. An RBI double from Martin Maldonado, and a 2-run homer from Danny Espinosa in the 9th inning capped the scoring for the Angels.

The Twins got four more runs in the 8th inning, highlighted by a two-run double from Byron Buxton, and an RBI single from Mauer.

Kyle Gibson (2-4) got the win after giving up 2 runs on 6 hits.  He struck out 6 and walked 2 in 5 2/3 innings of work.

Mauer finished 4-5 with 3 RBI on the evening.  His .349 career average against the Angels is the second-best against any AL team.  He’s also a career .366 hitter at Angel Stadium.

The Angels will try to get back in the win column tomorrow in game 3 of the series.  Matt Shoemaker (4-3, 4.26 ERA) gets the ball for the Halos.  He’ll be opposed by former-Angel Ervin Santana (7-2, 1.75 ERA).

Twins Rally Past Angels

June 1, 2017

Jason Castro delivered a 2-run single in the 9th inning to rally the Twins past the Angels 4-2 on Thursday night at the Big A.

The Twins also turned their first triple play in 11 years.  It happened in the 4th inning with Albert Pujols at 2nd and Yunel Escobar at 1st.  Jefry Marte hit a bouncer to third baseman Miguel Sano, who stepped on 3rd to get a force out, threw to Brian Dozier at 2nd base, whose relay to first base completed the triple play.

The Angels two runs came on a pair of solo home runs from Kole Calhoun.  One came in the 6th inning and the other came in the 8th.  Calhoun now has seven home runs this season and three multi-homer games in his career.

Sano also hit a solo home run in the 2nd inning off of Alex Meyer to give the Twins a 1-0 lead.  That was the only run Meyer would give up in 6 innings of work.  He gave up 5 hits, struck out 4, and walked 2, departing after 84 pitches.

The Angels took a 2-1 lead into the 9th inning, but rallied against Jose Alvarez (0-2) who took the loss.   Jorge Polanco reached when first baseman Jefry Marte dropped his popup for an error with one out. Eddie Rosario followed with a double, and Castro singled them both in to give Minnesota a 3-2 lead. Bud Norris walked in a final run.

Taylor Rogers (3-1) pitched the 8th inning and got credit for the win.  Brandon Kintzler got the last three outs for his 14th save.

The Angels and Twins will do it again on Friday evening at the Big A.  JC Ramirez (5-3, 3.38 ERA) gets the ball for the Halos.  The Twins will go with Kyle Gibson (1-4, 7.85 ERA).

Young Gets Angels By Braves

May 30, 2017

Erick Young Jr. hit his 1st home run of the season in the bottom of the 8th inning, as the Angels edged the Braves 2-1 on Wednesday night at the Big A.

The Braves jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a solo home run by Matt Kemp.  It was his 2nd home run in two nights.

It remained that way until the bottom of the 7th inning.  The Halos got a pair of infield singles, putting runners at 1st and 2nd.  Then Shane Robinson came to the plate and hit a chopper to 3rd baseman Rio Ruiz.  Ruiz stepped on 3rd base to get the force out, but made a throwing error in attempt to get the ball to first base, which allowed Danny Espinosa to score from 1st base and tie the game at 1-1.

Jesse Chavez went seven innings for the Angels, giving up the one run, five hits and a walk, striking out four.

Jaime Garcia also went seven innings for the Braves, allowing one unearned run, five hits and three walks.

Blake Parker (1-2) picked up the victory with one inning of work, while Bud Norris got the final two outs for his 10th save.

Arodys Vizcaino (1-1) took the loss after giving up the solo blast to Young Jr. in the 8th.  Vizcaino had made 12 consecutive scoreless appearances until giving up the homer to Young.  Young was called up after Mike Trout was put on the disabled list with a thumb injury.

The Angels now open a four game series with the Minnesota Twins on Thursday evening at the Big A.  Alex Meyer (2-2, 5.79 ERA) will come off the disabled list to make the start for the Halos.  The Twins will go with Adalberto Mejia (1-1, 4.64 ERA).

Angels Crush Braves

May 30, 2017

Albert Pujols hit the 599th home run of his career, and the Angels dominated the Braves 9-2 on Tuesday night at the Big A.

Pujols three-run shot in the 3rd inning off of Bartolo Colon began a 9-run explosion, which put the game away early for the Halos.

Colon did not make it out of that 3rd inning.  He fell to 2-6 on the season after giving up 9 runs (2 of them earned) on 7 hits.  The Braves made 3 errors during that brutal 3rd.

Parker Bridwell got the win in his first major league start.  He went 6 innings, giving up 3 earned runs on 6 hits, while striking out 4 and walking 1.  He allowed a 2-run homer to Matt Kemp in the 3rd inning, and then a solo homer to Tyler Flowers in the 7th.  He walked off the mound to a standing ovation.

Deolis Guerra and David Hernandez pitched the final three innings of the game.  They yielded just 1 hit in that stretch.

The rubber game of the three game set will be on Wednesday night in Anaheim.  Jesse Chavez (4-6, 5.09 ERA) gets the ball for the Halos.  Jaime Garcia (2-3, 3.58 ERA) goes for the Braves.

Braves Double Up Angels 6-3

May 30, 2017

The Braves exploded for 6 runs in the 3rd inning on Monday night in Anaheim, as Atlanta took down the Angels 6-3.

Matt Adams and Danny Santana each had two-run doubles in the 3rd, highlighting the early rally that put the game out of reach.

It was the first game the Angels played after learning that they will be without Mike Trout for the next 6-8 weeks.  The center fielder elected to undergo surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb.

“We have to be more than one guy, and feel we are,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “It’s a big loss in the clubhouse and on the field, but hopefully the surgery goes well and he’s back in a reasonable amount of time and we’ll have our offense in gear by the time he gets back.”

Ricky Nolasco fell to 2-5 on the season, and lasted just 2 2/3 innings.  He gave up all 6 runs on 6 hits.

“It looked like Ricky was trying to throw his way out of jams instead of pitching,” Scioscia said.

The Halos 3 runs came on 3 solo home runs.  They led 1-0 after Andrelton Simmons 5th of the season.

Albert Pujols connected on his 7th home of the year in the 4th, which was the 598th long ball of his career.  Luis Valbuena followed with a solo blast of his own to make it back-to-back.

However, Julio Teheran (4-4) got the win after holding the Angels to those 3 runs on 6 hits.  He pitched 6 1/3 innings, departing after 91 pitches.

Jim Johnson pitched the 9th inning, picking up his 11th save of the season.

The Angels and Braves will be back at it on Tuesday night at the Big A.  Parker Bridwell will make his major league debut for the Halos.  Bartolo Colon (2-5, 6.96 ERA) gets the ball for the Braves.

Angels Lose Trout To DL

May 29, 2017

The Angels got some bad news on Monday.  They learned that center fielder and reigning AL MVP Mike Trout will be sidelined for a significant period of time with a torn ligament in his left thumb.

Trout was injured on Sunday afternoon when he stole 2nd base in the 5th inning against the Marlins. He jammed his left thumb while sliding head first into the base.  He stayed in the game, but was removed from the game the following inning.

The Angels and Trout have not yet determined whether or not he will have surgery to repair the ligament.  If he opts to go that route, he would be sidelined up to 8 weeks.

Team doctor Steve Yoon was scheduled to arrive in Anaheim later Monday night to meet with Trout and discuss his options.

This is the first time in Trout’s 6-year career that he has landed on the disabled list.  He entered Monday tied for the AL lead with a .337 batting average.

Angels Lose Trout & To Marlins

May 28. 2017

Giancarlo Stanton had three hits including a home run, as the Marlins knocked off the Angels 9-2 on Sunday afternoon at Marlins Park.  The real concern for the Angels was the fact that slugger Mike Trout injured his thumb stealing 2nd base.

Trout slid head first into 2nd base in the 5th inning, jamming his left thumb on the play.  He stayed in the game but left in the 6th to be examined.  X-rays were negative, and Trout is scheduled to undergo an MRI Monday when the team returns to Los Angeles.

“A scary thing,” Trout said. “Hopefully it’s just sore and just jammed, a bad jam. I’m obviously bummed out, but Monday if it feels a little better, we’ll see how it goes.”

The Halos totaled four hits, left the bases loaded in the third and fourth innings, and went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position.

After Stanton gave the Marlins a 1-0 lead with his solo blast to center field in the 1st, Martin Maldonado gave the Angels the lead in the 4th, connecting on a 2-run blast to left field.

The lead wouldn’t last long.  The Marlins got three in the 5th on an Ichiro RBI single, followed by a 3-run homer from J.T. Riddle.

That would be all for Matt Shoemaker (4-3), who took the loss, departing after 4 2/3 innings.  He was charged with 4 runs on 7 hits.  The bullpen didn’t fare much better, giving up another 5 runs on 5 hits.

Jose Urena (3-2) got the win, pitching 5 innings and giving up just the 2 runs on 3 hits.  He made a labor intensive 103 pitches.

The Angels dropped to 26-27 on the season, and went 4-6 on their 10-game trip.  They’ll now return home for a 3-game series with the Braves beginning on Monday.  Ricky Nolasco (2-4, 4.37 ERA) gets the start for the Halos, while the Braves go with Julio Teheran (3-4, 4.88 ERA).

Trout Gets Halos Back At .500

May 27, 2017

Mike Trout drilled his major league-leading 16th homer of the season, as the Angels beat the Marlins 5-2 on Saturday afternoon at Marlins Park.

Trout’s 1st inning solo blast traveled 443 feet into the left field stands, giving the Halos a 1-0 lead.

JC Ramirez (5-3) got the win after holding Miami to just 1 unearned run in 7 innings.

Jose Alvarez provided an inning of scoreless relief. Bud Norris pitched the 9th and gave up a solo homer to Marcell Ozuna. Norris returned to the mound after tweaking his right knee on Friday night.

Ozuna also had an RBI single in the 1st inning to tie the score 1-1.

The Angels would retake the lead in the 3rd on an RBI groundout from Andrelton Simmons.

Luis Valbuena knocked in a 2-run single in the 8th. Simmons added an RBI double in the 9th to close out the scoring for the Halos.

Vance Worley (0-2), pitching his second game of the year, allowed two hits and two runs and likely earned another start despite taking the loss. He threw 63 pitches in 5 innings of work.

The Angels improved to 26-26, and are back at .500 for the 12th time this year. Sunday will be the rubber game of the 3 game set. Matt Shoemaker (4-2, 3.97 ERA) on the mound for the Halos, and Jose Urena (2-2, 3.08 ERA) goes for Miami.

Marlins Outslug Angels

May 26, 2017

Giancarlo Stanton hit one of three Marlins home runs on the night, as Miami defeated the Angels 8-5 on Friday night at Marlins Park.

Stanton, J.T. Realmuto, and Justin Bour all went deep for the Marlins.  Dan Straily (3-3) pitched 5+ innings to get the win.  He allowed 3 runs on 6 hits.

Jesse Chavez (4-6) took the loss for the Halos.  He couldn’t get out of the 4th inning, yielding 5 runs on 8 hits.

Angel pitchers have allowed 73 home runs, the most in Major League Baseball this season.

Christian Yelich had three doubles in three at-bats, while scoring twice.  Stanton and Dee Gordon also had 3 hits apiece.

The loss was the Angels’ third in a row, and dropped them 1 game below .500.  To make matters worse, closer Bud Norris tweaked his right knee, and departed after throwing only three pitches in the 9th inning.

Martin Maldonado delivered a 2-run homer to center field in the 6th inning to pull the Angels within 5-3, but they wouldn’t get any closer.

The Angels and Marlins will do it again on Saturday night in Miami.  J.C. Ramirez (4-3, 3.81 ERA) will be on the mound for the Halos, while the Marlins go with Vance Worley (0-1, 6.75 ERA).

Rasmus Leads Rays Past Angels

May 25, 2017

Colby Rasmus delivered a pair of clutch 2-out hits, driving in four runs on the day, as the Rays defeated the Angels 4-0.  The Rays and Angels split their four-game series.

Rasmus came to the plate with 2 outs and the bases loaded in the 1st, then came through with a 2-run single to give Tampa Bay a 2-0 lead.

In the 5th, Rasmus was at it again, coming up with a 2-run double with the based loaded once more.  The ball bounced over the center field wall, otherwise the 4-0 deficit might have been even bigger.

That was all the offense the Rays needed on this day.  Matt Andriese (5-1) got the win after pitching 8 shutout innings.  He gave up 6 hits, walked 2 and struck out 5, while throwing 112 pitches.  Tommy Hunter pitched a scoreless 9th for the Rays.

The Angels looked like they were poised to take an early lead in the 1st inning, but Mike Trout was thrown out at home plate by Steven Souza.

The Halos put runners at 1st and 3rd in the 2nd inning, but Danny Espinosa popped out to end the inning.  Those were the Angels best chances to score on the day.

Daniel Wright (0-1) took the loss after making a spot start for the injured Alex Meyer.  He went 4 1/3 innings, giving up 4 runs (2 of them earned) on 6 hits.  He walked 1 and struck out 4, departing after 73 pitches.

Keynan Middleton, Deolis Guerra, and David Hernandez provided 3+ innings of scoreless relief for the Halos pen.

After 50 games the Angels are an even 25-25 on the season.  Their road trip continues on Friday in Miami, where they’ll begin a 3-game set with the Marlins.  Jesse Chavez (4-5, 4.61 ERA) will be on the mound for the Angels, while the Marlins counter with Dan Straily (2-3, 3.70).

Rays Top Angels 5-2

May 24, 2017

Colby Rasmus and Steven Souza hit back-to-back homers in the 7th inning, as the Rays took down the Angels 5-2 on Wednesday night at Tropicana Field.

The loss came despite the fact the Halos got off to a great start. Albert Pujols connected on a 2-run homer in the 1st inning. The 597th homer of his career.

That was one of only 4 hits on the night for the Angels. Erasmo Ramirez (3-0) settled down after that. He picked up the win after pitching 6 innings, allowing only those 2 runs on the 4 hits to get the victory.

Souza hit a pair of home runs, including a 2-run blast off Ricky Nolasco in the 2nd to tie the game at 2-2.

The Rays would take the lead in the 3rd on an RBI double from Kevin Kiermaier, scoring Corey Dickerson.

Nolasco (2-4) took the loss after pitching 6 innings. He gave up all 5 runs on 7 hits, including the three home runs. Nolasco departed after giving up the back-to-back homers in the 7th.

Blake Parker and Brooks Pounders provided two innings of scoreless relief after that.

However, the Rays got three innings of scoreless relief from their bullpen as well.

Jose Alvarado, Ryne Stanek, and Alex Colume did not allow a hit. Colume picked up his 12th save of the season.

The Angels and Rays will do it again tomorrow morning in the final game of the four game set.

Angels Blank Rays 4-0

May 23, 2017

Mike Trout and Cameron Maybin each hit solo home runs and the Angels shut down the Rays 4-0 at Tropicana Field on Tuesday night.  The Halos have now won 3 straight games.

Matt Shoemaker (4-2) pitched 6 1/3 shutout innings to get the win.  He gave up just 3 hits, walked 5, and stuck out 3, while throwing 89 pitches.

The Halos got 2+ innings of shutout relief from Yusmeiro Petit, Jose Alvarez, and Keynan Middleton, who did not allow a hit.

Maybin lead off the game with a homer to left center off of Alex Cobb.  Then Trout went back-to-back, crushing the first pitch he saw to left center.

Cobb (4-4) took the loss after giving up 4 runs on 7 hits, striking out 5 and walking 3.  He departed after 7 1/3 innings.

Luis Valbuena added an RBI single in the 8th, scoring Trout.  Later in the inning, Kole Calhoun delivered a sacrifice fly as well.

The Angels will try to make it 4 in a row on Wednesday evening.  Ricky Nolasco (2-3; 4.01 ERA) will be on the mount for the Halos, while the Rays counter with (2-0; 3.00 ERA).

Angels Beat Rays On Wild Pitch

May 22, 2017

Jefry Marte scored the decisive run in the 7th inning, and the Angels defeated the Rays 3-2 on Monday night at Tropicana Field.

The Angels loaded the bases with two outs in the 7th, which brought Albert Pujols to the plate.  Pujols, who returned to the lineup after suffering from a hamstring injury, took a 1-1 pitch that got away from Rays reliever Jumbo Diaz, which allowed Marte to score.  Pujols was walked intentionally after that, then Luis Valbuena fouled out, which ended the inning with the Halos up 3-2.

JC Ramirez (4-3) got the win and pitched 6 2/3 innings, giving up just 2 runs on 6 hits.  He struck out 5 and walked 1 in a 99-pitch performance.

The Halos got a solo homer from Cameron Maybin in the 5th, which tied the game at 2-2.  It was his 2nd long ball of the season.

David Hernandez, Jose Alvarez, and Bud Norris pitched 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.  Norris got the final four outs to pick up his 9th save of the season.

Rays starter Jake Odorizzi gave up two runs on five hits while striking out eight in six innings.  Diaz (0-3) took the loss after giving up the decisive run in the 7th.

After the Angels took a 1-0 lead in the 1st on a sacrifice fly by Andrelton Simmons, the Rays got a pair of solo homers from Corey Dickerson and Logan Morrison to take a 2-1 lead after one inning.

The Halos will be back in action tomorrow night in game 2 of the series at Tropicana Field.  Matt Shoemaker (3-2, 4.47 ERA) gets the start for the Angels, while the Rays go with Alex Cobb (4-3, 3.67 ERA).

Trout Helps Angels Avoid Sweep

May 21, 2017

Mike Trout homered, doubled, and drove in three runs, as the Angels dominated the Mets 12-5 on Sunday afternoon at Citi Field.  The win helped the Angels avoid a 3-game sweep.

C.J. Cron also added a grand slam in the 1st inning, which was part of a 5-run explosion for the Halos in the early going.

Andrelton Simmons and Jefry Marte also went deep for the Angels, and by the 3rd inning, it was 9-0 Halos.

The Mets hit some home runs of their own while trying to rally.  Matt Reynolds, Curtis Granderson, and Jay Bruce all went deep, but it wasn’t enough.

Jesse Chavez (4-5) picked up the win after going 5 2/3 innings, yielding 5 runs on 7 hits.  He departed after Bruce’s 3-run blast, which made it 9-5.

Tommy Milone (1-2) took the loss for the Mets.  He only lasted an 1 1/3 innings, and was charged with 7 runs on 7 hits.

Trout’s homer was his 14th of the season, a 2-run blast.  Marte went back-to-back and that chased Milone.

Albert Pujols missed his third game in a row because of tendinitis in his right hamstring.

The Angels will continue their 10-game road trip in Tampa Bay on Monday night.  JC Ramirez (3-3; 3.97 ERA) will get the ball for the Halos.  Jake Odorizzi (3-2; 3.16 ERA) goes for the Rays.

Halos Rally Falls Short Against Mets

May 20, 2017

Jose Reyes had 3 hits and 2 RBI, as the Mets defeated the Angels 7-5 on Saturday night at Citi Field, despite a furious 9th inning rally by the Angels that fell short.

The Mets took a 7-2 lead into the 9th inning, but the Angels got 3 runs before substitute closer Addison Reed struck out Danny Espinosa with the bases-loaded to end the game.

The Angels loaded the based with nobody out in the 9th inning.  That’s when Reed came in to replace Neil Ramirez.  A walk to Cameron Maybin, an RBI single by Kole Calhoun, and sacrifice fly by Mike Trout pulled the Angels within 7-5.   However, Luis Valbuena fouled out to the catcher, and after an Andrelton Simmons walk, Espinosa’s strikeout ended it.

The Mets took a 4-0 lead against Angels’ starter Alex Meyer after 5 innings of play.  An RBI fielder’s choice by Neil Walker, a sacrifice fly by Jay Bruce, another RBI single from Walker, and a sac fly from T.J. Rivera accounted for the damage.

Meyer (2-2) took the loss after being charged with 4 runs (3 of them earned) on 3 hits.  He struck out 7 and walked 4 after throwing 86 pitches.

“That’s just a poor ballgame on the defensive end. We let too many things get away from us,” manager Mike Scioscia said. “We’ve got to tighten that up. That’s the major reason we lost.”

The Angels got two runs back in the 6th inning after loading the bases, then Jefry Marte was hit by a pitch, scoring a run.  Then Ben Revere added an RBI fielder’s choice.

However, the Mets extended the lead to 7-2 in the 8th.  Wilmer Flores came through with an RBI double, and Jose Reyes delivered an RBI single.

Zack Wheeler (3-2) got the win.  He went 5 innings, giving up 2 runs on 4 hits.  He walked 5 and struck out 5.

The Angels will try to avoid the sweep on Sunday afternoon at Citi Field.  Jesse Chaves goes for the Halos, while the Mets give the ball to Tommy Milone.

Mets Shut Down Angels 3-0

May 19, 2017

Jacob DeGrom pitched a 4-hit shutout in 7 innings of work, as the Mets blanked the Angels 3-0 on Friday night.  The Angels’ loss snapped their four-game winning streak.

Ricky Nolasco (2-3) took the loss, despite giving up just 2 runs (1 earned) on 4 hits in 6 innings of work.

The Mets got an RBI double from Curtis Granderson in the 1st inning to take a quick 1-0 lead.  It was an unearned run, resulting from a throwing error by C.J. Cron earlier in the inning.

T.J. Rivera delivered an RBI single in the 6th inning, and that made it 2-0 New York.

The other Mets’ run came in the 7th inning on a solo home run by Michael Conforto, which came off of Jose Alvarez.

DeGrom (3-1) got the win, and ended a 17-game stretch in which no Mets’ starters got an out in the seventh inning, tying a club record set in 2002.

“All night, we didn’t get too many good looks at him,” Angels’ manager Mike Scioscia said about DeGrom. “He pitched a good game for those guys, but when we did get a couple of looks, he made some pitches and got out of it.”

DeGrom also retired 13 straight before Kole Calhoun’s two-out single in the sixth. He gave up four hits, struck out nine and walked three.

Mike Trout singled twice on the evening, but the Halos couldn’t generate a whole lot of offense.  Albert Pujols was not available to play because of a sore right hamstring. Scioscia said Pujols had an MRI, which showed tendinitis in the hamstring.

Game 2 of the series is on Saturday night at Citi Field.  Alex Meyer (2-1, 5.59) will try to get another win for the Halos.  He’ll be opposed by Mets righty Zack Wheeler (2-2, 3.76).

Angels Outslug White Sox

May 17, 2017

Mike Trout homered for the 5th time in 6 games, as the Angels rallied from a 4-run deficit to beat the White Sox 12-8.  The Halos completed a 3-game sweep with the win, and moved one game over .500.

The Sox jumped out to a quick lead on a 2-run homer by Jose Abreu, and by the 2nd inning they held what appeared to be a comfortable 4-0 lead.

The Halos got the four runs right back in the bottom half of the 2nd, capped off by a 2-run single by Albert Pujols.

in the 6th, the Angels would get four more runs.  Martin Maldonado delivered an RBI single, followed by Trout’s 3-run homer.

Another four-run Angel explosion took place in the 7th.  RBI singles by CJ Cron, Danny Espinosa, and Maldonado accounted for 3 of the runs.

Matt Shoemaker (3-2) picked up the win after pitching 6 1/3 innings.  He gave up 4 runs (3 of them earned) on 9 hits.  He struck out 9 and walked 1.

The Sox got 3 runs in the 8th against Jose Alvarez, and 1 in the 9th against Keynan Middleton, but it wasn’t enough.

Miguel Gonzales (3-4) took the loss for the Sox.  He pitched 5 2/3 innings, giving up 5 runs on 5 hits.

The Angels will now travel to New York for a 3-game series with the Mets beginning Friday.  Ricky Nolasco (2-2; 4.34 ERA) takes the mound for the Halos in game 1, and Jacob DeGrom (2-1; 4.07 ERA) goes for New York.

Pujols Gives Angels Walk-Off Win

May 16, 2017

Albert Pujols singled in the 11th inning, scoring Ben Revere, and the Angels beat the White Sox 7-6 on Tuesday night.

Pujols had a pair of hits and had 3 RBI on the night.  The win moved the Angels back to .500 on the season at 21-21.

The Halos trailed 6-5 after Tim Anderson hit a solo home run in the 11th inning.  However, Cameron Maybin delivered an RBI double, scoring Danny Espinosa to tie the game.  After Mike Trout was intentionally walked, Pujols came through with the walk-off winner.

Yusmeiro Petit (1-0) got credit for the win, despite giving up the home run to Anderson.  David Robertson (2-1) took the loss for the White Sox.

It was a rough night for the Angels bullpen, which had been fairly effective thus far this season.  Bud Norris was unavailable to pitch after pitching for 3 straight days.  The Angels took a 5-2 lead into the 9th inning and that’s when the collapse began.

David Hernandez came into the game, trying to close it out, but he gave up an RBI double to Leury Garcia, scoring Melky Cabrera.  That made it 5-3.  Todd Frazier’s infield single scored Jose Abreu and Garcia, and the game was tied 5-5.

Hernandez was charged with was charged with 3 earned runs, giving up 4 hits.  He did not record an out, and was replaced by Petit.

JC Ramirez started for the Angels, and pitched well.  He went 7 innings, giving just 2 earned runs on 5 hits.

White Sox starter Derek Holland also fared well.  He went 6 innings, giving up 3 runs on 7 hits.  He was removed from the game trailing 3-2.

The Angels and White Sox will do it again on Wednesday, with the Halos going for the sweep.  Matt Shoemaker (2-2; 4.50 ERA) is on the mound for the Angels.  Miguel Gonzales (3-3; 3.83 ERA) will get the ball for the Sox.

Trout Goes Deep Again in Angel Win

May 15, 2017

Mike Trout homered for the 4th straight game, and the Angels rallied to beat the White Sox 5-3 on Monday night in Anaheim.

The Halos trailed 3-0 in the 5th inning, but Kole Calhoun connected on a 3-run homer to tie the game.  The next batter was Mike Trout, who drilled a solo blast over the left field wall, and the Angels suddenly had a 4-3 lead.  Martin Maldonado added another solo homer in the 7th inning for the Angels.

Jesse Chavez (3-5) picked up the win for the Angels.  He pitched 7 strong innings, giving up 3 runs on 5 hits.  Bud Norris got the final four outs for his 8th save of the season.

The White Sox got on the board in the 4th inning on a 2-run homer from Jose Abreu.  An RBI triple from Tyler Saladino made it 3-0. in the 5th.

Mike Pelfrey (0-4) took the loss for the Sox.  He gave up 4 earned runs on 3 hits.

The White Sox put runners on first and second with two out in the ninth, but Kevan Smith struck out looking to end the game.

Game 2 of the 3-game set will be on Tuesday night at the Big A.   JC Ramirez (3-3, 4.20 ERA) will be on the mound for the Halos, while the White Sox counter with Derek Holland (3-3, 2.43 ERA).

Meyer Beats Verlander & Tigers

May 14, 2017

Alex Meyer pitched 6 1/3 innings strong innings and picked up his 2nd win of the season, as the Angels beat the Tigers 4-1 at the Big A on Sunday afternoon.  The win salvaged a split of the four-game series between the Tigers and Angels.

Meyer (2-1) was once a reliever that the Angels are using as a starting pitcher since being acquired late last season, and is starting fulfill some of his potential.  The 6+ innings were a career-high for Meyer, who made 96 pitches, and gave up just 1 run on 3 hits.  He struck out 7 Tigers and threw his fastball as hard as 98 MPH consistently.  Bud Norris pitched the 9th for his 7th save of the season.

The Angels got a solo home run from Mike Trout in the 1st inning, tying the game at 1-1.  It was the third straight game Trout went deep.  Danny Espinosa hit a solo shot of his own in the 4th inning, giving the Halos the lead.

In the 7th, the Angels added a pair of insurance runs.  Andrelton Simmons delivered an RBI single, scoring Juan Graterol.  Trout added a sacrifice fly later in the inning, making it 4-1.

The Tigers only run of the game came on an RBI single from Nicholas Castellanos in the 1st inning.  Ian Kinsler lead off the game with a double, followed by the Castellanos hit.  After that Meyer did not allow a hit until the 7th.

Justin Verlander (3-3) took the loss for the Tigers.  He pitched into the 7th inning, giving up all four runs, striking out 7 and walking 5.  He passed Tommy John and pulled even with Eddie Plank for 53rd place in baseball history with 2,246 career strikeouts.

The Tigers haven’t won a series in Anaheim since 2009.  They have played 8 series at the Big A during that stretch.

Trout also stole two bases, joining Alex Rodriguez as the only players to get 175 homers and 150 steals before their age-26 season.  Cameron Maybin stole second base three times for the Angels, matching his career high in steals.

Albert Pujols got the day off for the Halos.  He was replaced in the lineup by C.J. Cron at first base, who returned from the disabled list.

The Angels will now host the White Sox in Anaheim for a 3-game set beginning on Monday night.  Jesse Chavez (2-5, 4.29 ERA) gets the ball for the Halos, while the Sox go with Mike Pelfrey (0-3; 5.21 ERA).

Tigers Get By Angels

May 13, 2017

J.D. Martinez hit a pair of home runs, including a solo shot in the 9th, giving the Tigers a 4-3 win over the Angels on Saturday night in Anaheim.

Martinez came off the disabled list on Friday after missing the first 33 games with a foot injury. His 9th inning homer came off of Halos reliever Bud Norris (1-2), who took the loss.

Alex Wilson (1-1) pitched the 8th to get credit for the win. Justin Wilson struck out the side in the 9th for his 2nd save.

The Angels tied the game at 3-3 in the 7th inning on Mike Trout’s 10th homer of the season, which came off of Tigers’ reliever Shane Greene.

Detroit took a 3-2 lead in the 6th inning when Justin Upton connected on his 8th homer of the season.

Ricky Nolasco pitched 6 innings for the Angels. He gave up 3 runs on 5 hits and struck out 4.

Albert Pujols had a 2-run single in the 5th to tie the game at 2-2. That gave Pujols 1,844 RBIs, tying Carl Yastrzemski for 11th on baseball’s career list.

The Halos fell behind 2-0 in the 2nd on Martinez’ first homer of the game, a 2-run shot off Nolasco.

Daniel Norris started for Detroit, pitching into the 6th. He gave up 2 runs on 7 hits.

The Halos will try to salvage a split of the four game series on Sunday at the Big A. Alex Meyer (1-1, 7.62 ERA) on the mound for the Angels. Justin Verlander (3-2, 4.25 ERA) goes for Detroit.

Angels Crush The Tigers

May 12, 2017

Matt Shoemaker threw six shutout innings of 3-hit baseball, and Mike Trout hit a 2-run homer as the Angels hammered the Tigers 7-0 at the Big A on Friday night.

Shoemaker (2-2)  made 94 pitches, striking out 7 batters and walking just 1.  He departed with a 5-0 lead.

The Halos jumped in front 2-0 in the 2nd inning on a solo homer from Luis Valbuena and an infield single from Cliff Pennington, which scored Kole Calhoun.

An RBI double from Martin Maldonado in the 4th, a Valbuena RBI single in the 5th, and another Pennington RBI single in the 6th made it 5-0.

Blake Parker, David Hernandez, and Keynan Middleton combined to pitch 3 innings of scoreless relief for the Angels.

Jordan Zimmerman (3-2) took the loss for Detroit.  He gave up 5 runs (4 of them earned) on 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings of work.

Trout’s homer in the 8th inning came off of Anibal Sanchez.  It was his 9th homer of the season, and his first hit since returning from the disabled list after injuring his hamstring.

The Halos put together 14 hits on the night, including 3 apiece from Valbuena and Pennington, and two apiece from Calhoun and Andrelton Simmons.

Game 3 of the series will be on Saturday night.  Ricky Nolasco (2-2; 4.31 ERA) is on the mound for the Halos, while the Tigers will give the ball to Daniel Norris (2-2; 4.55 ERA).

Tigers Pound Angels

May 11, 2017

Justin Upton and former Angel Andrew Romine homered in the first two innings, as the Tigers dominated the Angels 7-1 on Thursday night at the Big A.

Upton hit a 3-run homer in the 1st inning off of JC Ramirez, giving the Tigers a quick lead they would never relinquish.

“The first inning has been huge for me in all the games I’ve been starting,” Ramirez said. “I don’t know why. Then I bounce back. Maybe I need to be more focused, be more mentally prepared for that first inning.”

Romine made it 5-0 in the 2nd with a 2-run blast, his 2nd long ball of the season.  Ramirez did settle down after that, retiring 10 straight batters at one point.

Ramirez (3-3) took the loss, giving up 5 runs on 8 hits in 7 innings of work.  He managed to spare the bullpen a long evening, but the Halos couldn’t give him any run support.

The only Angel run came on an RBI double from Yunel Escobar in the 5th inning.  It was also 1 of only 4 hits on the night for the Halos.

In 11 of their last 17 games, the Angels have been held to three runs or fewer.  Mike Trout did return to the lineup and started as the teams Designated Hitter, but he was 0-4 on the night.

Michael Fulmer (4-1) picked up the win, pitching 7 strong innings for the Tigers.  He allowed just 1 run on 3 hits, while striking out 7.

“We have probably a handful of guys in our lineup right now struggling to find their rhythm,” manager Mike Scioscia said. “They’re not seeing the ball as well as they can. We have some guys just fighting themselves who need to just exhale and take a step back, and that’s what we’re working on.

The Angels and Tigers will do it again on Friday night in Anaheim.  It will be Matt Shoemaker (1-2; 5.21 ERA) for the Halos and Jordan Zimmermann (3-1; 6.21 ERA) for Detroit.

Triggs and A’s Top the Angels

May 10, 2017

Andrew Triggs pitched 6 strong innings and Chad Pinder hit a 2-run shot, as the A’s knocked off the Angels 3-1 on Wednesday afternoon in the rubber game of their three-game set.

Triggs (5-2) threw 105 pitches, giving up just 1 run on 3 hits.  He struck out 4, walked 3, and managed to escape trouble on numerous occasions.

Triggs began the game by walking three straight batters to load the bases.  However, all the Angels could generate was an RBI fielders’ choice by Jefry Marte.  The Angels were 0-8 with runners in scoring position on the day.  Triggs found a way to pitch out of trouble repeatedly.

Liam Hendriks, Ryan Madsen, and Santiago Casilla gave up only 1 hit over the final 3 innings of play.

Jesse Chaves (2-5) took the loss for the Halos.  He went 5 2/3 innings, giving up 2 runs on 3 hits, striking out 5 and walking 2.

“Jesse really pitched a strong game,” Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia said. “A broken-bat base hit, and then Pinder launched one that got up in the jet stream. I think at night time no way would that ball going to carry. He pitched really well for us.”

Pinder’s home run came on an 0-1 pitch after Mark Canha lead off the 5th inning with a single to right.

The A’s would an an insurance run in the bottom of the 8th inning when Khris Davis singled in Ryon Healy.  That came against Angels reliever Yusmeiro Petit.

The Angels played the game without sluggers Mike Trout and Albert Pujols.  Trout missed his 5th consecutive game with a hamstring injury, and Pujols was given the day off.

The Halos will now open a 7-game homestand starting Thursday night against Detroit.  JC Ramirez (3-2, 3.74 ERA) will get the start in the first of a four game series.  The Tigers will counter with Michael Fulmer (3-1; 2.77 ERA).

Escobar Leads Angels Over A’s

May 9, 2017

Yunel Escobar hit a 3-run homer and drove in 4 runs, and the Angels took down the A’s 7-3 on Tuesday night in Oakland.

Albert Pujols and Ben Revere also hit solo home runs for the Halos, who found some offense after Mike Trout sat out his 4th straight game with a hamstring injury.

Alex Meyer (1-1) picked up the win, pitching 5 1/3 innings, giving up 3 runs on 4 hits while striking out 7 and walking 5.  Bud Norris pitched the 9th to pick up his 6th save of the season.

Pujols solo blast put the Angels up 1-0.  The A’s responded with a 2-run blast form Yonder Alonso, which was his first of two homers on the evening.  He added a solo shot in the 6th inning as well.

The Angels would put up four runs in the 2nd inning on the home runs by Revere and Escobar, suddenly giving them a 5-2 lead.

In the 4th, the Halos would add two more, off a Cliff Pennington run-scoring single, and an RBI groundout from Escobar.

Jharel Cotton (3-4) took the loss.  He went 5 innings, giving up all 7 runs on 8 hits.  Not even having Kevin Durant in the house could help the A’s on this night.

The Angels are now 6-0 this year on Tuesday night.  Both teams will go at it in the rubber game on Wednesday afternoon.  Jesse Chavez (2-4; 4.46 ERA) gets the ball for the Halos, and the A’s will go with Andrew Triggs (4-2, 2.34 ERA).

A’s Edge The Angels In 11 Innings

May 8, 2017

Jed Lowrie belted a walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the 11th inning, as the A’s defeated the Angels 3-2 on Monday night in Oakland.  It was the A’s 3rd straight walk-off win.

Lowrie connected on a 1-0 pitch, his 2nd homer of the game, drilling it 405 feet over the right center field wall.  The home run came off of Halos reliever Deolis Guerra.  Guerra (2-2) pitched 2 2/3 innings, and was shutting down the A’s until he faced Lowrie, who’s homer was the only hit Oakland generated off the Angels right-hander.

The Angels took a quick 2-0 lead in the 1st inning on a Luis Valbuena 2-run homer.  Those were the only two runs given up by Oakland starter Kendall Graveman, who pitched 7 innings.  Graveman got the no decision, but scattered 7 hits and just the 2 runs, while striking out 6 and walking 1.

Oakland got four innings of scoreless relief from Ryan Madsen, Santiago Casilla, and Liam Hendriks.  The trio gave up only 2 hits in their 4 innings of work.  Hendriks (1-0) got credit for the win.

Lowrie’s first home run of the game came in the 4th inning off of Angel starter Ricky Nolasco, which cut the Angels’ lead to 2-1.

Just one inning later, Oakland tied it on another solo home run, this time from Trevor Plouffe.  Nolasco gave up the 2 runs on 5 hits, in 7 innings of work.  He struck out 10 batters in 103 pitches.

Mike Trout sat out for the 4th time in 5 games, and the Angels offense struggled.  The Halos were 0-6 with runners in scoring position, leaving 9 men on base on the night.

The news got even worse for the Angels when shortstop Andrelton Simmons got hit by a pitch in the first and left an inning later with a bruised left hand and right thumb.  X-rays were negative and he is day to day.

The Angels and A’s will be back at it tomorrow night in Oakland.  Alex Meyer (0-1; 9.39 ERA) will take the mound for the Halos, while the A’s will counter with Jharel Cotton (3-3; 4.64 ERA).

Astros Get By Halos In Rubber Match

May 7, 2017

Jose Altuve and Evan Gattis hit home runs and the Astros defeated the Angels 5-3 in the rubber game of their three-game series on Sunday afternoon in Anaheim.

The Angels played without Mike Trout for the 2nd straight game, sitting out with a sore hamstring, and this time Houston took advantage.

The Halos jumped out to a 2-0 lead in this one after a solo blast from Yunel Escobar in the 1st inning, followed by a Martin Maldonado RBI single in the 2nd.

Angel starter Matt Shoemaker ran into trouble in the 3rd inning.  With one out, Alex Bregman doubled, and after Jake Marisnick struck out, George Spring walked.  Then Josh Reddick singled, driving in Bregman, which put the Astros on the board.  The next batter was Altuve, who connected on a 3-run shot to left field, giving Houston a 4-2 lead.  The Astros would add another solo shot in the 7th off of Shoemaker, courtesy of Gattis, who connect on the first pitch of the inning.

Shoemaker (1-2) took the loss after pitching 6 innings, giving up 5 runs on 5 hits.  He walked 3 and struck out 4 while making 80 pitches.  After the Gattis homer in the 7th, Yusmeiro Petit came in to relieve Shoemaker.

Escobar drilled his 2nd homer of the game in the 5th inning, driving a pitch over the center field wall off of Mike Fiers.  Fiers (1-1) picked up the win after going 5 innings, giving up all 3 Angel runs on 4 hits.  He made 94 pitches, striking out 1 and walking 4.  Ken Giles picked up his 8th save of the season, pitching a perfect 9th inning, and striking out the last two batters he faced.

Houston got 4 scoreless innings of relief from James Hoyt, Will Harris, and Giles.  The three combined to give up just 2 hits, while striking out a total of 7 Angels.

The Astros are now 21-11, which is their best start in franchise history.  After taking two of three over the weekend, they are now 17-6 against the AL West.  The Angels are now 16-17 on the year, 5.5 games back of Houston in the division.

The Halos will now travel up to Oakland to open up a 3-game set with the A’s beginning Monday night.  Rickly Nolasco (2-2; 4.68 ERA) will be on the hill for the Angels, while Oakland will counter with Kendall Graveman (2-2; 3.95 ERA).

Angels Get Walk Off Win Over Astros


May 6, 2017

Andrelton Simmons delivered an infield single in the bottom of the 9th inning, scoring Kole Calhoun, and the Angels defeated the Astros 2-1 on Saturday night at the Big A in walk off fashion.

Simmons hit a chopper high off the plate to short, which gave Carlos Correa trouble. The Astros shortstop attempted to throw home, but it was in not nearly in time to get Calhoun at the plate.

Calhoun led off the 9th inning against Chris Devenski with a walk. Then Albert Pujols hit a single to left field, which allowed Calhoun to make it all the way to 3rd base, after some aggressive running by the Angels right fielder. Luis Valbuena struck out, but that set the stage for Simmons heroics.

Bud Norris (1-1) picked up the win after pitching a scoreless 9th inning. Devenski (2-2) took the loss for the Astros, after giving up the game-winning run in the 9th.

Both teams exchanged runs in the first two innings. Carlos Beltran doubled in Correa in the first inning, giving the Astros a 1-0 lead.

The Halos response in the 2nd after Cameron Maybin produced an RBI groundout, which scored Valbuena.

J.C. Ramirez did not factor in the decision, but had a strong start. He pitched 6 innings, giving up the lone run in the 1st inning, while yielding 8 hits, striking out 2 and walking 2. Blake Parker, David Hernandez, and Bud Norris combined to give up just 1 hit over the last 3 innings.

The Astros got 7 strong innings from Lance McCullers. He allowed just 1 run on on 2 hits, striking out 4 Angels, but did not factor into the decision either.

Mike Trout was a late scratch in this one with a tight hamstring. The Angels improved their record to 16-16 on the season.

The rubber game of the 3-game set will be on Sunday afternoon at the Big A. Matt Shoemaker (1-1; 4.78 ERA) goes to the mound for the Halos, while the Astros will counter with Mike Fiers (0-1; 5.68 ERA).

Angels Rally But Astros Win In 10

May 5, 2017

The Angels have had some big comebacks in the 1st month of the baseball season.  They had another one on Friday night at the Big A, but this one fell short, with the Astros winning 7-6 in 10 innings.

Houston blew a 4-run lead in the 9th inning, but Carlos Correa singled home Jose Altuve in the 10th inning, which was the decisive run in the Astros victory.

The Angels trailed 6-2 heading into the 9th inning.  However, three straight singles chased Houston starter Dallas Keuchel.  That forced the Astros to bring in Ken Giles to face Mike Trout with the bases loaded and nobody out.  Trout singled to make it 6-3.  After an Albert Pujols strikeout, pinch-hitter Luis Valbuena had an RBI groundout, pulling the Angels within 2 runs.  An Andrelton Simmons infield single, followed by a pinch-hit single to right from Kole Calhoun would tie the score 6-6.  The Halos had a chance to win it, but Ben Revere flied out to left, which sent the game to extra innings.

“We’ve been coming from behind all year,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “We put together a great inning in the ninth, great at-bats all the way around. We just couldn’t get that last hit to push us through.”

Giles (1-1) was charged with one of the four runs in the 9th, but still got credit for the win.  Chris Devenski retired the Angels in order in the 10th inning to pick up his 2nd save of the season.

Keuchel came into the game with a 5-0 record, and was pitching well until the 9th inning.  He ended up getting charged with 7 hits and 5 runs, but the AL Pitcher of the Month of April remained undefeated.

Things looked good for the Angels earlier in the game when Albert Pujols hit his 595th career homer to give the Halos a 1-0 lead in the 4th.

The Astros tied it at 1-1 in the 3rd when Josh Reddick countered with a solo shot of his own, his 3rd long ball of the season.

Martin Maldonado put the Angels back in front with solo home run to center field, but the Angels 2-1 lead wouldn’t last long.

Brian McCann would connect on a 3-run homer in the 7th inning, then Reddick and McCann delivered run-scoring singles in the 8th and 9th inning, which made it 6-2.

Bud Norris (0-1) ended up taking the loss for the Angels, giving up the game-winning RBI single to Correa in the 10th inning.  Jesse Chavez started for the Halos, going 6 1/3 innings, yielding 3 runs on 4 hits.  He left in the 7th inning with two runners on, before Jose Alvarez surrendered McCann’s homer.

The Astros have the best record in the American League, and matched their best 30-game start in club history with the victory.

Game 2 of the series will be on Saturday night in Anaheim.  JC Ramirez (3-2, 4.23 ERA) will make his 5th start of the season for the Angels, while the Astros will go with Lance McCullers Jr. (2-1, 4.08 ERA).

Mariners Dominate Angels

May 4, 2017

Danny Valencia had four hits, including a home run, and the Mariners dominated the Angels on Thursday night 11-3 at Safeco Field.

Ariel Miranda (3-2)  pitched seven strong innings for the Mariners, giving up just 2 runs on 7 hits to collect the win.

Alex Meyer (0-1) got roughed up in his first start of the year for the Halos.  He went 4 innings, giving up 6 runs on 8 hits.  Meyer made 90 pitches, consistently delivering his powerful 97-mph fastball, but struggled to command it.

“He showed flashes of why we’re excited about him,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said afterward. However, Scioscia wasn’t sure what Meyer can do to fulfill that potential.  “Right now, that’s the $64,000 question,” he said.

It was a tough go for Meyer from the beginning.  He hit the 1st batter he faced, walked the second, then allowed an RBI double to Nelson Cruz, all in the 1st inning.

Meyer gave up a leadoff walk in the 3rd, then struck out a pair of Mariners.  Just when it started to look like he was settling down, Kyle Seager and Valencia delivered a couple of singles, and it was 2-0.  Guillermo Heredia’s bloop single drove in another run.  Seattle would tack on two more in the 4th inning, and it was 6-2.

“You gotta get ahead early,” Meyer said. “Here’s my fastball for a strike. Here’s my breaking ball. You’ve gotta pound the zone. Otherwise, it puts them in a position where they can swing the bat more comfortably.”

The Angels couldn’t generate much offense in this one either.  Juan Graterol had a 2-run single in the 2nd inning, and Andrelton Simmons produced an RBI groundout in the 8th inning.  Yunel Escobar had four hits on the night.

Mike Trout had the night off after Mike Scioscia said the slugger’s hamstring was a little tight.

The Angels will return home for a 3-game set with the Astros next over the weekend.  Jesse Chavez (2-4, 4.50 ERA) starts for the Halos on Friday, opposed by Houston lefty Dallas Keuchel (5-0, 1.21 ERA).

Mariners Rally Past Halos

May 3, 2017

Jarrod Dyson delievered a 2-out, 2-run double in the 8th inning, and former Angel Jean Segura tacked on a 2-run single after that, as the Mariners defeated the Angels 8-7 on Wednesday night at Safeco Field.

The Angels tried to rally in the 9th inning when Kole Calhoun drilled a solo homer to left field, pulling the Halos within 8-7, but that was as close as they would get.

The Angels trailed 4-0 heading into the 6th and rallied for four runs at that point. Mike Trout got the Halos going with a 2-run shot to center field.  A sac fly from Andelton Simmons, a run-scoring single from Cliff Pennington , and a 2-run double from Yunel Escobar put the Angels ahead 6-4.

The Mariners hit a couple of long balls earlier in the game to take a 4-0 lead.  Robinson Cano hit a solo blast in the 1st inning off of Ricky Nolasco, then Segura added a 2-run homer in the 5th.  Nelson Cruz hit an RBI single in the same inning, and the Mariners looked like they would cruise to an easy victory at that point.

Nolasco lasted 4 1/3 innings, giving up 4 runs on 8 hits.  He struck out 6 and walked 2, while also giving up both Mariner home runs.  He did not factor in the decision.

Blake Parker (0-2) took the loss for the Angels after giving up 4 runs in the 8th inning.  Jean Machi (1-0) picked up the win in relief for Seattle, while Edwin Diaz recorded his 5th save.

The rubber game of the 3 game set will be on Thursday night at Safeco Field.  Alex Meyer (0-1; 4.91 ERA) gets the start for the Angels, while the Mariners go with Ariel Miranda (2-2; 3.81 ERA).

Angels Rally To Beat M’s in 11

May 2, 2017

Albert Pujols knocked in the go-ahead RBI single that scored Mike Trout from 1st base in the top of the 11th inning, as the Angels defeated the Mariners 6-4 in extra innings on Tuesday night at Safeco Field.

Pujols drove a pitch to right field off of reliever James Pazos, which forced Ben Gamel to dive for the ball.  He came up short in his attempt, and the ball bounced up against the wall, allowing Trout to score.  It was the 1,840th RBI of Pujols’ career and he passed Al Simmons and Ted Williams for 14th on the all-time list.

Pujols would then steal 3rd base, and then score later in the inning on a fielders choice by Andrelton Simmons.

Pazos (0-1) took the loss and Deolis Guerra (2-1) pitched the last two innings to get credit for the victory.

Matt Shoemaker got the start for the Angels, pitching 5 1/3 innings, giving up 3 runs on 4 hits while striking out 5.  The Angels used 6 relievers after that, who only allowed 1 run on 3 hits over the next 6 innings.

James Paxton started for the Mariners and also did not factor into the decision.  Paxton went 5 1/3 inning, giving up 2 runs on 5 hits.

The Angels took a 4-3 lead in the 8th inning after a 2-run shot from Kole Calhoun.  However, the Mariners would tie it at 4-4 in the 9th, when Robinson Canoe singled in Jarrod Dyson.

Danny Valencia also went deep for the Mariners, giving them a 3-2 lead in the 6th inning with his 2nd homer of the season.

The Angels fell behind 2-0 in the 3rd inning, but after a Cameron Maybin RBI double in the 4th, and a Jefry Mare sac fly in the 5th, they had tied the score 2-2.

Game 2 of the series will be Wednesday night at Safeco Field.  Ricky Nolasco (2-2; 4.13 ERA) gets the start for the Angels, while the Mariners go with Hisashi Iwakuma (0-2; 4.15 ERA)

Halos Take Rubber Game From Texas

Apri 30, 2017

The Angels finished the month of April on a high note, defeating Texas 5-2 on Sunday afternoon in Arlington.  The Halos took two of three games during the weekend showdown between the division rivals.

Kole Calhoun and Jefry Marte hit home runs, and JC Ramirez got his first win as a starter after four tries.  Ramirez (3-2) matched a career-high with 9 strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings, giving up only two runs on four hits.

Bud Norris got the final four outs of the game to earn his 5th save of the season.  Norris struck out four of the five batters that he faced, including Rougned Odor with two on to end the 8th inning.

The Halos fell behind early on an RBI single from Carlos Gomez, but Calhoun’s solo blast to center field tied it up at 1-1.  Marte came through in the 5th with a  2-run single, but Shin-Soo Choo’s solo home run off of Ramirez cut the lead to 3-2.

The Angels padded their lead in the 6th inning on an RBI single from Yunel Escobar, while Marte’s 9th inning solo shot to left field capped the scoring, making it 5-2.

Martin Perez (1-4) took the loss for the Rangers.  He went 5 2/3 innings, giving up 4 runs on 8 hits, while striking out 1 and walking 4.

Calhoun had two hits, scored twice, and also made a spectacular play by throwing out Gomez trying to score form second on a single in the 1st inning, after the Rangers had taken a 1-0 lead.

The Angels finished April with 14 wins in 27 tries. They have not had a better record at this stage in a season since 2011.

The Halos will now travel to Seattle to begin a 3-game set with the Mariners starting Tuesday.  Matt Shoemaker (1-1; 4.73 ERA) will get the ball for the Angels in the first game, while the Mariners go with James Paxton (3-0; 1.39 ERA).

Rangers Snap Angels Win Streak

April 29, 2017

Carlos Gomez hit a 2-run homer in the 7th inning to complete his 2nd career cycle, and the Rangers defeated the Angels 6-3 on Saturday afternoon in Arlington.

Yu Darvish (3-2) picked up the win after pitching 6 strong innings and giving up just 2 runs on 3 hits, while striking out 10 Angels.  Darvish threw 125 pitches before departing.

Jesse Chavez (2-4) took the loss for the Halos.  He last 6 innings, giving up 4 runs on 8 hits, while striking out 3 and walking 2.

The Angels struck first in this one after an RBI double from Mike Trout, and a sacrifice fly from Albert Pujols, which gave them a 2-0 lead in the 4th inning.

However, the Rangers got 4 runs in the 5th inning to take control of the game.  Nomar Mazara delivered an RBI single, Gomez had an RBI triple, and Rougned Odor connected on a 2-run homer.

Gomez home run in the 7th made it 6-2 and capped the scoring for Texas.  The Angels only other run came on a sac fly from Cliff Pennington in the 9th inning.

The Angels had their 5-game win streak snapped with the loss.  Mike Trout went 2-4 in the defeat and extended his hitting streak to 13 games.

“The wind was crazy,” Trout said.  “I couldn’t even tell you what direction it was blowing.”

The rubber game of the 3-game set will be on Sunday afternoon in Arlington.  JC Ramirez (0-2; 4.16 ERA) will get the call for the Halos, while the Rangers will counter with Martin Perez (1-3; 3.60 ERA).

Angels Make It 5 Straight

April 28, 2017

Yunel Escobar, Mike Trout, and Albert Pujols hit home runs, and Tyler Skaggs pitched strong 5 innings as the Angels defeated the Rangers 6-3 in Arlington on Friday night.  It was the Halo’s 5th straight victory, and moved them 1 game over .500 on the season.

Escobar went deep on the first pitch of the game to give the Angels a quick 1-0 lead.  The Rangers tied the game in their half of the 1st on a sac fly from Carlos Gomez.

It stayed that way until the 6th inning, when Trout went deep with Kole Calhoun aboard, and the Angels had a 3-1 lead.  However, an RBI double from Elvis Andrus and a Mike Napoli run-scoring single tied the game again 3-3.

In the 8th, the Rangers would not allow Trout to beat them again, intentionally walking the Angels slugger.  That put two on for Pujols, who made the Rangers pay with a 3-run shot.

“We weren’t giving into Trout at all,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. “Look, there was a situation there, he had hit the ball hard a couple of times, and we were not going to give in there. Move on to Pujols.”

Deolis Guerra (1-1) got credit for the win, and Jose Alvarez pitched the 9th to get his 1st save of the season.

The only bad news for the Angels was that they lost several players to injury.  CJ Cron fouled a pitch off his foot, and will be placed on the 10-day DL.  The same for Tyler Skaggs, who left after throwing 76 pitches due to an injury in his right oblique.

Game 2 of the 3 game set will be on Saturday night.  Jesse Chavez (2-3; 3.96 ERA) is on the mount for the Angels, while the Rangers will go with Yu Darvish (2-2; 2.91 ERA).

Halos Get Back To .500

April 27, 2017

The Angels made it four in a row on Thursday at the Big A, with a 2-1 victory over the A’s.  The Halos completed a three-game sweep of Oakland, and evened their record at 12-12 on the season.

Ricky Nolasco pitched 5 2/3 innings, giving up 1 run on 3 hits, striking out 4 and walking 2.  He improved his record to 2-2 on the season.  Bud Norris earned the save, his 4th of the season.

In the 6th inning, Nolasco got Jaff Decker to pop out and Matt Joyce to groundout.  However, Jed Lowrie and Khris Davis walked, then Yonder Alonso reach on an error by Cliff Pennington.  That loaded the bases for Ryon Healy.  Mike Scioscia brought in Blake Parker, who struck out Healy, which ended the threat.

Kendall Graveman (2-1) took the loss for the A’s.  He pitched 6 innings, giving up 2 runs on 6 hits, while striking out 4.

Both Angel runs came in the 1st inning.  Albert Pujols singled home Mike Trout, and CJ Cron doubled in Pujols, and that was all the offense the Angels needed.

The only Oakland run came in the 4th inning came on an RBI single from Yonder Alonso.  That was just 1 of 3 hits the A’s generated on the night.

Blake Parker, David Hernandez, Jose Alvarez, and Norris did not allow a single run or hit in 3 1/3 innings of work.

The Angels now travel to Texas to open a 3-game series with the Rangers on Friday.  Daniel Wright will be in the hill for the Halos, while the Rangers will go with Nick Martinez.

Matt Shoemaker Finally Gets First Win

April 26, 2017

Matt Shoemaker pitched 5 solid innings for the Angels on the way to his first victory of the season, and the Halos defeated the A’s 8-5 on Wednesday night at the Big A.

“Wins are always great, but the satisfaction is that we won,” Shoemaker said. “It was a tight game up to that point. Just had to battle to get through five. Winning after that, that was the great thing right there.”

Bud Norris pitched a scoreless 9th inning to earn his 3rd save of the season.

Sean Manaea (1-2) got through just two innings before taking the loss.  He allowing three runs before his night ended after only 34 pitches because of left shoulder tightness.  Manaea retired the first three batters he faced, then allowed three runs on four hits in the second inning.

The Angels fell behind 2-0 in the 1st inning on a 2-run single from Yonder Alonso.  However, a Danny Espinosa double, a Cameron Maybin RBI single, and an RBI double from Martin Maldonado put the Angels back in front 3-2.  The Halos would tack on one more in the 5th when Albert Pujols delivered an RBI single to right, scoring Mike Trout.

A solo shot in the 6th inning by Yonder Alonso made it 4-3, however, the Angels produced a 4-run 7th inning to put the game out of reach.  Former Angel Matt Joyce hit a 2-run homer in the 8th inning, but it wasn’t enough.

The Angels improved to 11-12 on the season.  They’ll try to even their record at .500 on Thursday night at the Big A.  Ricky Nolasco (1-2, 4.76 ERA) will oppose the Athletics’ Kendall Graveman (2-0, 2.00 ERA).

Angels Walk Off Against A’s in 11

April 25, 2017

Kole Calhoun delivered a walk off RBI single to score Danny Espinosa in the bottom of the 11th inning, and the Angels defeated A’s 2-1 in 11 innings on Tuesday night at the Big A.

This one was scoreless until extra innings, when both teams were finally able to get on the board against the bullpen.  Josh Phegley hit a solo shot off of Jose Alvarez in the 10th inning.  However, Mike Trout countered with a solo shot of his own in the Halo half of the 10th inning to tie the game.

Brooks Pounders (1-0) got credit for the victory after pitching a scoreless 11th inning.  Ryan Madson (0-2) took the loss for Oakland after giving up the game-winning hit to Calhoun

JC Ramirez had a strong start for the Angels, going 7 innings, giving up just 2 hits an striking out 7.  Jesse Hahn was just as good for the A’s, going 8 inning and giving up a single hit, while striking out 6.

Neither team could advance a base runner past 2nd base after a combined 60 plate appearances.

The Angels improved to 10-12 on the season.  Manager Mike Scioscia got his 1,500th career victory.

Both teams will be back at it on Wednesday night at the Big A.  The Angels will go with Matt Shoemaker (0-1; 4.98 ERA) while the A’s will counter with Sean Manea (1-1 4.43 ERA).

Angels Salvage Split With Blue Jays

April 24, 2017

Jesse Chavez pitched 6 strong innings giving up only 1 run on 4 hits, and the Angels defeated the Blue Jays 2-1 on Monday night.  The Jays and Angels split their four game series with two wins each.

Chavez improved his record to 2-3 on the season.  He threw 101 pitches, giving up only a solo home run to Russell Martin in the 4th inning.  That put the Blue Jays up 1-0 at that point.  Chavez struck out 7 and walked 4 on the night.

The Angels didn’t generate much more offense but it was enough to win.  Albert Pujols delivered an RBI single in the bottom of the 4th inning, which scored Mike Trout to tie the game 1-1.

The Halos would go-ahead 2-1 in the 5th inning when Cameron Maybin scored after Yunel Escobar hit into a fielder’s choice.   Maybin broke from third on contact and scored on a close play at the plate.

Yusmeiro Petit, David Hernandez, and Bud Norris pitched the last 3 innings and shutdown Toronto over that stretch.  The trio allowed a total of three hits.  Norris earned his 2nd save of the season, despite letting a pair of Blue Jays on base in the 9th.  He did induce an game-ending double play to end the threat though.

Francisco Liriano took the loss for the Jays, falling to 1-2 on the season.  Liriano went 5 1/3 innings, allowing the two runs on five hits and four walks, with two strikeouts.

Earlier in the day, the Angels acquired right-handed reliever David Hernandez from Atlanta.  To make room for Hernandez, the Angels optioned right-hander Daniel Wright back to triple-A Salt Lake.  Their top 3 relievers are on the disabled list, along with ace, Garrett Richards.

Up next, the Halos will host the A’s for a 3-game set beginning Tuesday.  JC Ramirez (2-2; 6.46 ERA) will get the ball for the Angels, and he’ll be opposed by Jesse Hahn (1-1; 3.00 ERA).

Angels Stifled By Stroman & Jays

April 23, 2017

Marcus Stroman pitched a complete game and gave up only 1 earned run on 7 hits, and the Blue Jays had a 4-run blitz in the 8th inning to beat the Angels 6-2.

At one point, Stroman retired 17 consecutive batters during his 99-pitch performance, which improved his record to 2-2 on the season.  It was also his is first appearance back in Southern California since pitching the U.S. to victory in the World Baseball Classic final at Dodger Stadium last month.

Things looked really good for the Angels for most of the game.  Albert Pujols delivered a 2-run single in the 3rd inning, and the Halos had a 2-0 lead all the way until the 8th.

Spot starter Daniel Wright gave up only three hits over his five shutout innings of work.  Blake Parker and Jose Alvarez recorded the next six outs for the Angels.  Then Mike Scioscia turned to Deolis Guerra to pitch the 8th.

After issuing a lead-off walk to Russell Martin, with 1 out, Devon Travis hit a 1-1 pitch over the left center field fence and the Jays had a 2-1 lead.  Ryan Goins grounded out, then Scioscia brought in Brooks Pounders to face Kevin Pillar.

3 pitches later, Pillar took Pounders deep to left, and Toronto had a 2-run lead.  An Ezequiel Carrera triple and a walk to Jose Bautista  set the stage for former Angel Kendrys Morales to add to the lead.  He would reach on an infield single to 3rd, scoring Carrera, and it was 4-1 Jays.

Pounders ran into more trouble in the 9th, giving up a 2-run shot to Goins, which padded the lead to 6-1.  Pounders allowed two homers, a triple, a double, a single, and a walk over 1 1/3  innings.

The Angels threatened in the 9th, as Andrelton Simmons produced an RBI single to make it 6-2, but Stroman induced a game-ending double play.

The Halos have now lost 10 of their last 12 games, and they have the 2nd worst run differential (-20) in all of Major League Baseball.

The Angels will try to salvage a split of their four game series on Monday night.  Ricky Nolasco (1-2; 4.76 ERA) will be on the hill for the Halos, while the Jays will go with Francisco Liriano (1-1; 5.11 ERA).

Simmons Does It All In Angel Win

April 22, 2017

Andrelton Simmons hit a grand slam and the Angels held on to beat the Blue Jays 5-4 at the Big A on Saturday night.

Simmons hit a tie-breaking grand slam in the 3rd inning, the 2nd of his career, and also made a spectacular defensive play in the 9th.  The Angel shortstop made a diving stop to help turn the fourth double play of the game, and end the Jays final threat of the evening.

“Double plays are great, but grand slams are cool, too, especially when you win,” Simmons said.

The Blue Jays jumped out to a 1-0 lead  against Tyler Skaggs in the 1st inning.  Justin Smoak came through with an RBI single.

The Halos tied it in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI single from CJ Cron, which scored Mike Trout.

After Simmons made it 5-1, the Jays were held in check until the 8th inning.  That’s when Kevin Pillar hit a 2-run homer against Kirby Yates.  Smoak would take Yates deep to start the 9th, and the Angels found themselves clinging to a 5-4 lead.

The Blue Jays then had the tying run on first with nobody out  when Devon Travis hit a grounder up the middle that Simmons turned into that spectacular 6-4-3 double play.

Skaggs got the win, pitching 7 innings, giving up 2 runs on 7 hits and striking out 4.  He picked up his first win of the season, and is now 1-1.  Bud Norris came in during the 9th inning to record the save.

Casey Lawrence took the loss for the Jays.  He’s now 0-2 on the season after pitching 6+ innings, yielding 4 earned runs on 8 hits, and striking out 4.

The Angels and Jays are back at it tomorrow afternoon in game 3 of the series.  Jesse Chavez (1-3; 5.00 ERA) will go for the Halos, and Marcus Stroman (1-2; 4.05 ERA) will get the call for Toronto.

Blue Jays Outlast Angels in 13 Innings

April 21, 2017

Just when you thought things could only get better for the Angels, they lose to the team with the worst record in baseball on Friday night at the Big A.  The Blue Jays defeated the Angels 8-7 in 13 innings in the first of a four game set.

Jose Bautista hit his first homer of the season, a 3-run blast coming in the top of the 13th inning, to put the Jays ahead 8-5.  The Halos threatened in the 9th inning, but Toronto held on for just it’s 4th victory of the season.

The Blue Jays were off to their worst start in franchise history, and Bautista was hitting only .109 coming into the game.  The Angels haven’t been much better, now losers of 9 of their last 10 games, and tied for last place in the AL West.

The Angels were forced to use Jesse Chavez in the 13th inning.  Chavez took the loss, and was schedule to start on Sunday.  The Halos used all of their position players and relievers.

After a walk and two Toronto errors, the Halos loaded the bases in the bottom of the 13th inning with nobody out.  The Jays brought in reliever Joe Biagini, who struck out Cliff Pennington for the 1st out of the inning.

A single by Kole Calhoun, and a walk to Mike Trout made the score 8-7.  However, Albert Pujols struck out, and CJ Cron lined out to center to end the game.  Biagini earned the save, and Ryan Tepera got credit for the win after pitching 3 scoreless innings of relief.

The Angels started Alex Meyer, who made his season debut after being called up from the minors.  However, he didn’t last long, pitching only 3 2/3rd innings.  He yielded two runs on four hits, walking four, and also had a wild pitch that scored one of the runs.  The Jays had a 2-0 lead heading to the bottom of the 3rd.

Albert Pujols gave the Angels the lead with a 3-run double in that 3rd inning.  Two innings later, Mike Trout hit a solo home run and it was 4-2 Halos.

A few innings later, the Angels gave the lead right back.  With a 4-3 lead, Bud Norris walked two and gave way to Cam Bedrosian, who promptly wild pitched the runners up a base and gave up a two-run double to Justin Smoak.

An RBI double from Jefrey Marte in the 8th inning would tie the game at 5-5.   It appeared the ball may have bounced off the bottom of the foul pole, but after a review it was ruled a double.

After all that, the Angels and Jays will be back at it on Saturday night at the Big A in game 2 of the series.  Tyler Skaggs (0-1; 5.19 ERA) will get the ball for the Angels, and the Jays will counter with Casey Lawrence (0-1; 13.50 ERA).

Angel Bats Still Quiet in Houston

April 20, 2017

Another day in Houston, and another loss where the Angels couldn’t get their bats going. This time a 2-1 loss to the Astros, which gave Houston 3 victories in the 4 game set.

The Angels were victimized by the long ball in this one. Carlos Beltran connected on a solo shot off Matt Shoemaker in the 1st inning to give the Astros a 1-0 lead.

Houston would add to that in the 5th when Jake Marisnick took Shoemaker deep to left for another solo homer, and the Astros had a 2-0 lead.

The Halos only run came in the 9th on a home run by Mike Trout. It was his 4th of the season.

Shoemaker took the loss, his first of the year. He went 7 innings, giving up just the 2 home runs on 3 hits, while striking out 7 Astros. He departed after 98 pitches, then turned things over to Bud Norris who pitched a scoreless 8th inning.

However, the Astros pitching was more flawless on this day. Lance McCullers pitched 6 2/3rd innings, delivering a 3-hit shutout in that stretch. He improved to 2-0 on the season.

Chris Devenski pitched the final 2 1/3rd innings to get credit for the save. He allowed 3 hits, including the Trout homer, but stranded Cliff Pennington and Andrelton Simmons at 2nd and 3rd to end the game. At one point he struck out 8 of 10 Angels.

The Halos now lead the majors with 25 home runs allowed. They’ve also dropped 8 of their last 9 games to fall to 7-10 on the season.

The Angel are now headed home to open a 4-game series with the Blue Jays. It will be Tyler Skaggs (0-1; 5.19 ERA) going for the Halos on Friday, while the Jays will deploy Mat Latos, who was just called up from Triple-A.

Royals Rock The Angels

April 14, 2017

The Royals hammered the Angels on Friday night in KC by a score of 7-1. It was another brutal night of pitching for the Angels.

J.C. Ramirez lasted 5 innings and threw only 75 pitches. He took the loss after giving up 5 runs on 4 hits.

Danny Duffy allowed three hits over seven innings and Mike Moustakas hit a two-run homer for the Royals.

The Angels jumped out to a 1-0 lead after a Mike Trout RBI single. However, the Royals would counter with 7 unanswered runs.
Salvador Perez hit a solo shot in the 6th inning for KC.

The Angels and Royals will get back at it on Saturday in game 2 of the series.

Matt Shoemaker will get the ball for the Halos and look to get on track after two rough starts. The Royals will go with Nate Karns.

Halos Roughed Up By Rangers Again

April 13, 2017The Angels had a rough afternoon against the Rangers at the Big A on Thursday, losing 8-3 to the Rangers for the 2nd time in less than 24 hours.This time the Rangers got 7 shutout innings from ace Yu Darvis, who allowed just 5 hits and struck out 10 batters to pick up his first win of the season.  Carlos Gomez and Nomar Mazara hit home runs in the victory for Texas.The Angels only offense came on a 3-run homer from Danny Espinosa in the 9th inning.  It was his 3rd home run of the season.Ricky Nolasco had a tough day for the Halos.  He went 5 innings, giving up 5 runs on 8 hits.  He struck out 7, but allowed the two home runs.  In three starts, Nolasco is now 0-2 with an ERA of 5.40.  As a team, the Angels starting pitchers are sporting an E.R.A. of 6.00.Despite a tough last two games, the Halos are still 6-4, and tied atop the AL West with the Houston Astros.The Rangers didn’t waste much time in this one, getting on the board with a leadoff homer from Gomez on the 2nd pitch of the game.  An RBI double from Robinson Chirinos,  a run-scoring single from Jurickson Profan, and then the two-run shot from Mazara made it 5-0 after 3 innings.Chirinos drove in two more runs with an RBI double in the 7th inning, and then he would score later in the inning on a single from Shin-Soo Choo.  Chirinos finished the game with two hits, two runs, and three RBI.Daniel Wright pitched the final four innings for the Angels.  He gave up 3 runs on 3 hits, and after the game was optioned back to Triple-A Salt Lake.  The Angels also learned that Garrett Richards will not return from the disabled list when he is eligible to be removed from it this weekend.  There is no timetable scheduled for his return, nor for him to resume throwing.The Halos will hit the road for the next 7 games, beginning with a 3-game set starting tomorrow night in Kansas City.  The Angels will start J.C. Ramirez, while the Royals will counter with Danny Duff.

Halos Can’t Comeback This Time

April 12, 2017The Angels ran out of comeback magic on Wednesday night at the Big A, losing to the Rangers 8-3.  Texas hit 3 home runs in the victory.Mike Napoli, Elvis Andrus, and Carlos Gomez all went deep for the Rangers.  Joey Gallo hit a go-ahead two run triple in the 5th inning, and Texas never looked back.A.J. Griffin got the win for Texas.  He pitched 6 innings, giving up 3 runs on 4 hits.  It was his first victory in six starts dating back to last September.J.C. Chavez took the loss for the Angels.  He went 4 1/3rd innings, yielding 5 runs on 5 hits.  The Halos also got a solo home run from Mike Trout in the 3rd inning.  His 3rd long ball of the season.The Rangers got off to the quick start in this one, after Napoli and Andrus connected on solo blasts in the 1st inning.  A pair of sacrifice flies from C.J. Cron and Danny Espinosa tied the game at 2-2, before Trout gave the Halos a 3-2 lead in the 3rd inning.However, Gallo’s RBI triple, and Jurickson Profar’s run-scoring single made it 5-3 after 5 innings.The Rangers would add three more runs on a Carlos Gomez home run in the 7th, and then a 2-run triple by Rougned Odor in the 9th inning.“Jesse got into some bad counts,” manager Mike Scioscia said.  “He just wasn’t as effective as he was in his other outing.”The Angels return to action on Thursday afternoon at the Big in rubber match of the 3-game set.  Ricky Nolasco gets the call for the Halos, while the Rangers will go with Yu Darvish.

Angels Walk Off Again

April 11, 2017

The Angels rallied for 3 runs in the 9th inning on Tuesday night to defeat Texas 6-5 at the Big A in 10 innings.  It was their 2nd straight dramatic comeback win.

The walk-off hit came on a squeeze bunt from Carlos Perez in the 10th, which scored Cameron Maybin.  The bunt came with one out , and runners at the corners.

The Halos rallied for seven runs in the 9th inning on Sunday to defeat the Mariners.  This time the Angels were down 5-0 by the 3rd inning.  Mike Napoli started things off with an RBI single in the 1st, then in the 3rd, Elvis Andrus and Jonthan Lucroy went deep, and Texas had its 5-run cushion.

Tyler Skaggs was tagged for all 5 runs on 8 hits, in 5 innings of work.  However, Bud Norris, Yusmeiro Petit, and Cam Bedrosian combined to allow just 2 hits over the next 5 innings of work.

Jefry Marte got the Angels on the board in the 7th with a solo blast off of Cole Hamels.  That was the only run of the game that Hamels would allow in 7 innings of work.  The Angels could only manage 4 hits off of the Rangers’ ace.

In the 8th, Maybin doubled to right field, which scored Mike Trout, and cut the lead to 5-2.  In the 9th, Danny Espinosa homered, Trout had an RBI double, and Albert Pujols had an RBI single to tie the game at 5-5.

The Rangers looked like they were going to get the lead back in their half of the 10th, but Trout robbed Mike Napoli for a home run.

Game 2 of the Series will be tomorrow night in Anaheim.  The Angels will give the ball to J.C. Chavez, while the Rangers will go with A.J. Griffin.

Angels With 7-Run Rally In 9th To Beat M’s

April 9, 2017

The Angels did the unthinkable on Sunday afternoon in Anaheim.  The Halos rallied from a 6-run deficit in the bottom of the 9th inning to defeat the Mariners 10-9.  The win completed a 3-game sweep over Seattle.

The 9th inning rally was started by Albert Pujols hitting his 592nd career home run, a solo blast which made it 9-4.  After an RBI groundout from Danny Espinosa and a 2-run double from Yunel Escobar, the score was 9-7.  Pujols would come through again later in the inning, hitting a 2-run single to tie the game at 9-9 with 2 outs and the bases loaded.  Cliff Pennington had the game-winning RBI single after that, scoring Mike Trout, which capped the epic comeback.

Andrew Bailey collected the win for the Angels, after he pitched a scoreless 9th.  Edwin Diaz took the loss for Seattle, after allowing the final 3 runs of the game.

The Angels couldn’t generate much against M’s starter Hisashi Iwakuma.  Iwakuma went 6 innings, giving up just 1 run on two hits.  Matt Shoemaker didn’t fare very well in his start for the Angels.  Shoemaker went 4 1/3rd innings, yielding 6 earned runs on 5 hits.

“That was unbelievable,” Shoemaker said. “That was absolutely awesome. Those guys picked me up huge. I had a really, really sour day turn out sweet.”

It was the first time since Aug. 28, 1986, that the Angels scored at least seven runs in the ninth inning to win.

“We found some holes, those guys helped us with a couple of walks and we just had good at-bats all the way through,” manager Mike Scioscia said. “There was some incredible clutch hitting at the end.”

The Angels will get Monday off before beginning a 3-game set with the Rangers at the Big A on Tuesday.  The first game of the series will feature Tyler Skaggs pitching for the Angels, and Cole Hammels on the Hill for the Rangers.

Trout Leads Halos Over Mariners

April 8, 2017

Mike Trout hit a 2-run blast in the 7th inning, and the Angels held on to defeat the Mariners 5-4 at the Big A on Saturday night.

Trout was honored before the game by the Angels, recognizing him for his 2nd AL MVP award in 3 years.  Owner Arte Moreno presented Trout with a large commemorative ring.  The Angels center fielder was 0-3 in his first three at-bats with 2 strikeouts, before connecting in the 7th inning on what would be the decisive blow to Seattle.

Andrelton Simmons also made an incredible defensive play in the 3rd inning.  Jean Segura attempted to advance from first to third base on Mitch Haniger’s grounder.  Simmons was covering third, and snagged Jefry Marte’s off-target throw and twisted in midair to apply a behind-the-back tag on Segura.  It took video replay, but Segura was ruled out on the play.

J.C. Ramirez recorded the win, and Cam Bedrosian got his 2nd save of the season.  He threw 18 pitches in the 8th inning, then struck out the side in the 9th for a five-out save.

“He felt great when he got out of the eighth,” skipper Mike Scoscia said. “He had some gas in his tank. And we’re closer to the day off on Monday.”

The Halos got off to a slow start in this one.  Ricky Nolasco surrendered a 2-run homer to Haniger in the 1st.  Nolasco pitched 6 innings, yielding those 2 runs on 4 hits, while striking out 3.

RBI singles by Danny Espinosa and Kole Calhoun over the next two innings would tie the game at 2-2.  The Halos would then take a 3-2 lead on a solo shot from Yunel Escobar in the 5th inning.  The Angels’ shortstop had 3 hits on the night.

Mike Zunino tied things up a 3-3 in the M’s half of the 7th inning with an RBI single.  However, Trout came through with his big blast just half an inning later.  The Mariners got one back in the 8th on a sacrifice fly from Nelson Cruz, but that’s as close they would come.

Felix Hernandez started for Seattle.  King Felix went six innings, giving up 3 runs on 10 hits, and striking out 6.  Evan Scribner took the loss for the Mariners, after giving up the home run to Trout.

The Angels will go for the sweep on Sunday afternoon in Anaheim.  Matt Shoemaker will be on the hill for Halos, while the M’s will give the ball to Hisashi Iwakuma.

Angels Win Home Opener Against Mariners

April 7, 2017

The Angels got home runs from Cameron Maybin and Kole Calhoun in their home opener, and beat the Mariners 5-1 at the Big A on Friday night.

Jesse Chavez gave up only 4 hits and 1 run in 5 2/3rd innings of work, as the Halos improved to 3-2 on the season.

“We played a good game,” Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said. “We didn’t play a perfect game, but we played really good defense early. We scratched out a couple runs and we kept going.”

Mike Trout started the scoring for the Angels with a sacrifice fly in the 1st inning.  Albert Pujols made it 2-0 in the 3rd after Kyle Seager bobbled a grounder that would have been an inning-ending double play with the based loaded.

In the 6th, Chavez ran into some trouble.  Mitch Haniger, Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz all singled in a span of seven pitches, making it 2-1.  However, Jose Alvarez got the Angels out of the inning.  Bud Norris, Andrew Bailey, and Blake Parker shut down the Mariners in each of the next 3 innings to secure the victory.

Maybin’s solo blast in the bottom of the 6th inning made it 3-1.  It was his first home run as an Angel, which sailed into the right field stands.  Calhoun would extend the lead to 5-1 on his 2-run bomb in the 7th.

Prior to the game, the Angels put Garrett Richards on the 10-Day DL after he suffered from a cramp in his bicep on Wednesday night.  An MRI showed that there was no structural damage to the elbow that gave him trouble last season.

Game 2 of the series will be Saturday night  at the Big A.  Ricky Nolasco will go for the Angels, and he’ll go up against Mariners’ ace Felix Hernandez.

A’s Drop Angels For

Split

April 6, 2017

The A’s got a 4-run third inning on Thursday afternoon, and beat the Angels 5-1 to split their four game series with the Halos.

Andrew Triggs pitched into the 6th inning for his 2nd career win. Triggs, who has a business degree from USC, allowed just 1 unearned run on 4 hits in 5 2/3rd innings.

The Angels took a 1-0 lead in the 3rd on an RBI groundout from Albert Pujols. However, the A’s would strike back in the bottom half of the inning.

Marcus Semien tied the game with an RBI single off of Tyler Skaggs, and ended up at 3rd after a Mike Trout error. Semien would score on a sac fly from Khris Davis. Ryon Healy delivered the big blow after that with a 2-run homer. The A’s would add 1 more in the 6th on a Trevor Plouffe RBI single.

Liam Hendricks, Santiago Casilla and Sean Doolitte combined for hitless relief for Oakland.

The Angels generated only five hits, but pitching is the bigger concern again. None of the Halos starters went more than 5 innings in the first four game series.
Tyler Skaggs had gotten a victory in his first start each season from 2013-16 but that streak came to an end as he gave up five runs, five hits and three walks in 5 1/3rd innings.

Skaggs just seemed happy to be out there though, and was encouraged despite the results. “It was fun,” Skaggs said. “Besides the third inning, everything was really good.”

Mike Scioscia on the other hand knows that much improvement is needed. “We’ve got confidence in our rotation,” Scioscia said, “but they’re going to have to do a better job to get a little deeper into games.”

Angels Win But

Richards Leaves

April 5, 2017

The Angels knocked off the A’s 5-0 on Wednesday night in Oakland, but they have more injury concerns with starting pitcher Garrett Richards.

Richards was sharp in his 4 2/3 innings of work, giving up just three hits while striking out four.  However, he felt some cramping in his biceps, causing him to leave the game.  Richards insisted that the move was nothing more than precautionary.

“Nothing serious. My arm feels good. I felt good tonight, elbow feels fine, shoulder feels fine,” he said. “It was just kind of a long inning and it just kind of stiffened up a little bit. There’s no red flags or anything, just something that flared up. … Everything kind of moves on as planned.”

Richards underwent tests after the game, which revealed no major issue.  He will be re-evaluated when the team returns to Southern California.

The Halos got the offense going in the 2nd inning in this one.  Andrelton Simmons started things off with an RBI single, while Danny Espinosa tacked on a 2-run single after that.

In the 5th inning, Mike Trout and Albert Pujols had back-to-back RBI singles of their own, and that was all the offense the Lakers needed.

Jose Alvarez, J.C. Ramirez, and Yusmeiro Petit shutdown the Athletics the rest of the way to give the Halos their 2nd victory of the season.  Ramirez picked up the victory.

Game 4 of the series will be Thursday afternoon.  Tyler Skaggs will be going for the Angels, while the A’s will give the ball to Andrew Triggs.

Angels Rally For 1st

Win

April 4, 2017

Danny Espinosa hit a 3-run home run in the 9th inning to propel the Angels to a 7-6 victory over the A’s.  It was Espinosa’s first hit as an Angel, and the Halos first victory of 2017,

The night was also highlighted by Matt Shoemaker’s return to the mound, after taking a line drive off his head late last season.  Shoemaker pitched 5 solid innings for the Angels, giving up 2 runs on 4 hits, and departing with a 4-2 lead.

“He’s very determined,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “He’s been very determined his whole career to get to this point. I think once he was physically fit, I think everyone felt that he would come back. He’s got the perseverance to get back on that mound and hopefully have the success that he had before.”

Andrew Bailey pitched a scoreless 8th inning to collect the win.  Cam Bedrosian picked up his 2nd career save and his first of the season by shutting down Oakland in the 9th.

The Halos will be back at it in game 3 of the series on Wednesday night.  Garrett Richards will take the mound for the Angels, in his first start May 1, 2016.  Richards underwent stem cell treatment to repair ligament damage in his elbow.  The A’s will counter with Jharel Cotton.

A’s Double Up

Angels

April 3, 2017

The Angels lost their opening game of the season on Monday night in Oakland, falling to the Athletics 4-2.

Khris Davis homered twice for Oakland, and Stephen Vogt added another.  That was too much for the Halos to overcome, as the Angels two runs came on a 2-run shot from Mike Trout.

Kendal Graveman pitched 6 innings for the A’s to get the win.  He gave up 2 runs on 6 hits, while striking out 7.

Ricky Nolasco went 5.2 innings, giving up 7 hits and 3 runs.   Nolasco suffered the loss.

Voigt got the A’s on the board in the 2nd inning with a solo blast to right center field.  The Angels countered half an inning later when Trout’s drive over the left center field fence put them back up by a score of 2-1.

Oakland tied things up at 2-2 in the 5th inning.  Yonder Alonso singled to center, which scored Jed Lowrie.  Nolasco got into more trouble from there.

Davis’ first home run put the A’s back in front 3-2 in the 6th inning.  In the 8th, he homered to left center field again.  That one came off of J.C. Ramirez.

The Angels and Athletics will play game 2 of their 3 game set on Tuesday night in Oakland.  The Halos will give the ball to Matt Shoemaker, who will be making his 1st start since being struck in the head by a line drive in September.  Oakland will go with Sean Manaea.

Not So Heavenly

Mike-Scioscia-Jerry-Dipoto

August 23rd, 2013

Someone is getting fired in Anaheim very soon.  Now that Angels nightmare season is essentially over, details are emerging about how bad things are in Anaheim.  Success in any organization starts at the top, and the rift at the top of the Halos organization seems about as wide as the Grand Canyon at the moment.

Fox Sports ‘ John Morosi is reporting that there are “philosophical differences” between Angels GM Jerry Dipoto, and skipper Mike Scioscia, and that retaining both of them is “not tenable”.  This would explain owner Arte Moreno’s refusal to comment this week on the futures of both men with his ball club.  It’s also clear that this rift dates well back to last season, when the LA Times reported that Scioscia disagreed with Dipoto’s firing of hitting coach Mickey Hatcher.  A few months later, Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported Scioscia disliked Dipoto’s staff reliance on statistical data.

As I’ve been saying for months now, this rift has been a huge part of the Angels failures on the field.  Jerry Dipoto has constructed a ball club that does not fit Mike Scioscia’s style of baseball  (doesn’t this sound familiar Laker fans?).  Mike Scioscia’s teams have been built on pitching, defense, small ball, and aggressive base running.  Instead, Dipoto has crapped all over Scioscia’s style by torturing numbers, which somehow told him guys like Joe Blanton, Tommy Hansen, and Ryan Madsen will be great pitchers.  Arte Moreno has also screwed up Scioscia ball by impulsively demanding his GM sign aging sluggers Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton.  More on Moreno’s screw ups in a moment…..

If the Angels fire Mike Scioscia, they will have to eat the remaining 5 years on his contract, which includes a total of $12 million in 2017 and 2018.    Moreno would probably look foolish for firing Scioscia too, because he would be unemployed for about 5 minutes with his hometown Phillies, and possibly even the Dodgers lining up for his services.  This might off-set the cost of firing him slightly, however, Dipoto is only signed through 2014.  One the other hand, removing Scioscia might allow Moreno to hire a much cheaper skipper.

As for Moreno, this mess starts with him.  Scott Miller of CBS Sports is reporting that in January of 2011, the Angels owner demanded that then general manager Tony Reagins trade for Toronto slugger Vernon Wells in 24 hours, or be fired.  Moreno’s anger was triggered when the Angels were unable to sign Carl Crawford or Adrian Beltre in free agency, which resulted in a disastrous chain of events, including trading slugger Mike Napoli.  The impulsiveness of Moreno did not stop there, which explains the $240 million he gave Pujols, and the $125 million he gave Hamilton.

These decisions not only have resulted in a terrible performance on the field, as the Halos clubhouse has been very dysfunctional.  Miller reported that during a team meeting in August of last season, outfielder Torii Hunter had to be physically retrained from punching Albert Pujols.  This followed two bad losses to the Tampa Bay Rays.  During the loss on August 17th of that season, Jered Weaver was pitching, and he yelled at one of his infielders for being unable to come up with a ground ball.  The next night, when CJ Wilson was on the mound, several players told CBS Sports that they were tired of his chirping in the dugout, including giving advice to hitters.  Hunter even told Wilson to “pipe down” and the two exchanged words.

Following that game, veteran reliever LaTroy Hawkins called for a players only meeting.  However, the players couldn’t even agree on the format of the meeting.  Pujols insisted that Scioscia and other management attend the meeting, which other players were against.  During the meeting Pujols called out Weaver for yelling at his teammate one night earlier, and also yelled at Hunter for going at it with Wilson.  Hunter and Wilson had apparently already made amends, which annoyed Hunter, and prompted a confrontation between Hunter and Pujols.  Hunter had to be retrained several times from fighting Pujols at that point.  This might also explain why Hunter is no longer and Angel.

At this point, it’s become clear: Arte Moreno knows business, and he knows money.  He does not know baseball.  He needs to leave the baseball decisions to the baseball people.  Since he began his first full year as owner in 2004, he has fired 40 people, and sources told CBS Sports that he often maintains “a skeletal front office staff”.   Typically when someone is fired, he rarely replaces them, and he’s also reportedly been gouging hours from his low paid employees.

Imagine if the Angels still had Kendry Morales, Jean Segura, and Patrick Corbin?  This organization would probably look a lot different now, and would be headed in a different direction.  The Angels are headed for trouble.  They’ve got two really good young players in Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo, but they might not have the money to retain them in a few years.  The farm system is depleted, and the team has no pitching.  However, if the Halos are going to turn things around, it starts at the top.  Regardless of who this teams GM and Manager are moving forward, Arte needs to re-evaluate his own way of doing things.  Otherwise, this team is going to have some ugly years ahead of them.

Angels At The Break

Scioscia Ump

July 18th, 2013

The first half of the baseball season was uglier than Randy Johnson’s grill for the Halos.    The Angels tumbled into the all-star break losing 5 of their last 6, and getting swept by the Seattle Mariners.  They currently sit 5 games under .500, 11 games back of first place Oakland in the AL West, and 9 games back in the wild card race.   Things aren’t exactly going as planned.

Much like last year, this disaster starts on the mound.   Only 3 teams in all of baseball have a worse team ERA than the Angels.  Ace Jered Weaver missed nearly two months with a broken elbow, then needed another month find his game.  He’s only 3-5 on the season with a 3.63 ERA.  Jason Vargas got off to a respectable 6-4 start, but went on the DL with a blood clot.  Tommy Hanson has been knocked around sporting an ERA of 5.10, and Joe Blanton has been abused more than a battered housewife with his 2-12 record and ERA of 5.53.  The Halos tried to make it a point to fix their pitching after last season’s woes, but somehow found a way to be even worse this year.

Meanwhile, the offense hasn’t been the force that everyone expected.  Josh Hamilton’s career is spiraling downward like that of Tara Reid.  Hamilton is hitting a career low .224, and is on pace to drive in the fewer runs and hit few homers than he has in the last 4 years.  He’s also on pace to strike out a career high 165 times.  Albert Pujols has been plagued by a foot injury since spring training, and although productive at times, he appears to be on a slow but steady decline.   Considering these two are earning a salary that collectively equals the GDP of a small country, their productions stinks.

Once again, the Angels start to the season appears to be what will kill them.  The Angels tied their worst start in franchise history, going 11-22, before trying to play catch up.  They won 8 in a row in late May, but then went on to lose 9 of 11 games shortly after that.  Another win streak of 7 in a row, was recently halted by losing 5 of 6 heading into the all-star break.  The hole is just too big, and the teams in front of them are too good.

The entire team doesn’t suck though.  Mike Trout is having another outstanding season .  Trout is 2nd in the American League in batting average at .322, and is on pace for nearly 30 home runs, over 100 runs batted in, and almost 40 stolen bases.  Trout is arguably the best all around player in baseball.  Mark Trumbo has another 21 home runs thus far, Howie Kendrick has been very productive at 2nd base, and CJ Wilson has been the teams most reliable starter.

The Angels are a talented ball club, that has been underachieving for a season and a half.  The Halos used to pride themselves on being a team that relied on pitching and defense.  Their pitching is terrible, and only the Astros have made more errors than them.  Mike Scioscia has  been known to manufacture runs, and play a very aggressive style on the base paths.  Instead, Angels GM Jerry Dipoto has handed Scioscia a bag of crap, that simply sits back and waits for aging sluggers to hit the 3-run home run.  If the Halos are going to turn things around, they’ll need to figure out their identity.

Rally Time?

Monkey Season Over

May 18th, 2013

Ok, I’m going to try and be positive about the Angels.  Let’s see…..they are only 12 games back of first place Texas in the AL West?  Ok let’s try again.  They are only 9 games back in the wild card race?  Shoot! This is much tougher than I thought.  I’ve got it!  Their ERA isn’t quite the worst in baseball, because Toronto and Houston are worse.  I knew I could do it.

Can I go back to be being honest now?  Because the Halos are quickly flushing this season down the toilet.  One quarter of the way through the season, the team is on pace to lose 103 games, and keep in mind, the franchise record is 95.  $127 million clearly doesn’t buy what it used to, because the Angels have no starting pitching, and they have nearly half a billion committed to three players whose best playing days are behind them.

Even Arte Moreno acknowledged this week that Mike Scioscia isn’t responsible for this mess.  It isn’t his fault that none of his starters can give him 6 innings.  It isn’t his fault that his best pitcher, starting shortstop, first baseman, and his starting center fielder are all hurt.  It also isn’t his fault that Josh Hamilton keeps coming down with these mysterious illnesses, and seems to be emotionally unreliable for this ball club.

Arte has spent enough money to feed several small African countries, but in all the wrong places.  He’s taken one of the best managers in baseball, and made him useless by building a team that is incapable of executing the fundamentals of the game, which is essential for Scioscia’s success.  The Halos have always been successful when focusing on pitching and defense, and manufacturing runs, yet they are now inept in all those areas.

The good news is that the Angels have two great cornerstones in Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo that they can build their team around for the next 5 years.  The bad news is that the contracts of Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton, and CJ Wilson won’t allow them to build much else around them during that time.  Those 3 players need to produce now, because we all know they won’t during the back end of those dumb contracts.   In the meantime, the Halos better build start building that farm system back up because it’s currently considered the worst in baseball.  At least the season is almost over (I told you I could be positive!).

Halos Hell

Scioscia

April 13th, 2013

In spring training, the Angel players vowed to get off to a better start than last season.  With the talent they added, they couldn’t possibly start slow again could they?  Think again.  Just two weeks into the season the team is sinking faster than the Titanic.  After Friday’s 5-0 loss to the Astros, the Halos were left with the worst record in the American League, and matched their worst start in club history.

The Angels have found the perfect combination of no clutch hitting, and horrendous pitching.  Only the Tampa Bay Rays have scored fewer runs in the American League than the Angels.  Mike Trout has started slower than dial-up, and Josh Hamilton’s play has been sloppier than Lindsay Lohan at happy hour.

Last year the Halos had a great pitching staff on paper, but that group underperformed.  This year, the team has no reliable starters outside of an injured Jeff Weaver, and the group already stinks.  Only the Toronto Blue Jays have given up more runs in the American League, and no Angels starter has made it past the 6th inning.  That of course has put even greater pressure on the bullpen.

Mike Scioscia is well aware of the problem.  “We’re not pitching and we’re getting behind early,” he said.  “When your starting pitching is not getting to a certain point in the game, it makes it very, very tough.”  After last season’s failures, I’m not buying the “It’s still early” excuse.

This season, the Angels don’t have a franchise changing player to call up from the minor league’s to try and jump start their team.  They also have to deal with injuries to the entire left side of their infield, which isn’t going to help a team that has made the most errors in the major leagues.  How much more of this can Angel fans take when their team just jacked up ticket prices more than anybody else in the majors?

A team with Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, and Josh Hamilton figures to breakout and provide some offense.  However, they better start doing it soon, because this pitching staff isn’t going to win many games for them on their own.  The Halos are already 6.5 games out of 1st place.  If they don’t get it going now, their season will be over by the end of April, and Mike Scioscia will be out of a job shortly after that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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