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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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)

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).

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).

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).