C.J. Wilson threw eight innings of one-run ball and struck out nine to propel the Los Angeles Angels into the weekend after splitting a four-game home-and-home set against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Rookie Taylor Featherston got things started with his first career home run in the third inning before a five-run sixth inning put the game away in Anaheim’s favor. The Angels remain within striking distance of the Houston Astros, who are atop the division by five-and-a-half games.
This weekend, the Angels have a great opportunity to chip into Houston’s division lead by playing the last-place Oakland Athletics. According to TiqIQ.com, the average ticket price for the three games is $60.17. Friday’s game, which features post game fireworks, has an average price of $46, with a get-in price of $8. Saturday’s contest has an average ticket price of $61.44 with a get-in price of $14, and Sunday, which is Father’s Day, features the most expensive Angels tickets of the series at $69.88, with a get-in price of $22.
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The Athletics (29-40) are 11 games under .500 and are only 12-19 at O.co Coliseum this season. It’s getting to that point in the season where the Angels are going to have to start beating the lower-tier of teams to climb up the standings. The series against the Athletics will conclude a five-game road stretch for the Angels who have gone 1-1 in the first two games. After the Athletics series, the Angels have back-to-back home series against Houston and Seattle.
Former MVP award winner Albert Pujols, even at age 35, continues to be a main source of power for this Angels team. In his 14th season in the Majors, Pujols leads the American League in home runs with 19. Phenom Mike Trout, meanwhile, is quietly putting up MVP-type numbers yet again, hitting .300 with 18 home runs and 40 RBI.
The Angels’ pitching staff has picked up recently, which is another main reason they’re playing better baseball compared to earlier in the season. Aside from two losses to the Athletics and Diamondbacks, no Angels starter has given up more than four runs in their last ten games. If they continue to do that, while getting the same type of numbers from the middle of their batting order, the Angels appear poised to reclaim their spot at the top of the AL West.
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