Boxscore Breakdown #44: Carlos’ Corner Turn – Angels 10, Orioles 2

Carlos Perez fared so poorly at the plate in April that he lost his starting gig by the end of the month, and things didn’t get much better for Carlos in backup duty through the first half of May. By the time Geovany Soto hit the DL with a torn meniscus on May 18, Perez was batting just .176/.238/.230 in 83 plate appearances. Since then, though, the sophomore backstop has worked to make the most of his second chance, starting four of five games and going 5-for-14 with two home runs.

Or, at least, that’s the narrative that sounds best. In reality, Perez started his current hot streak on May 14, so his three-hit, five-RBI afternoon Sunday is actually the climax of a week-plus of hot hitting, not just the four games sans Soto. That doesn’t spin quite as good a tale, but it does point to a more tangible positive trend. My preseason choice for an offensive breakout still looks terrible, but not quite the dumpster fire it was a week ago.

Angels 10, Orioles 2

Run Expectancy Rundown

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Perez’s aforementioned three-hit, five-RBI game leads the way in RE24, but he wasn’t the only Angel on the positive side of the ledger. Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Kole Calhoun, Yunel Escobar, Johnny Giavotella, and C.J. Cron all reached base two times or more.

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Jonathan Schoop hit a Weaver change-up deep into the night in the seventh, but miraculously no one else could do the same. Joey Rickard, Adam Jones, and Nolan Reimold were the only other O’s with hits, all of which were singles.

Starting Pitcher Scores

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Jered Weaver found a way to best the Times Through The Order Penalty on Sunday, keeping Baltimore off the bases not just in the first, second, and third innings, but all the way through the seventh. His six strikeouts and 18 swinging strikes were both season bests.

Ubaldo Jimenez got knocked around early, giving up six runs in the first three innings, but still managed to pitch into the sixth. I guess that counts for something?

Bullpen Battle

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Cam Bedrosian lowered his ERA to 0.68 with a scoreless eighth, Deolis Guerra impressed in his Angels debut with a two-strikeout scoreless ninth.

Former super prospect Dylan Bundy allowed four runs in an inning-plus. Can’t wait for Dan Duquette to trade him to the Cubs so he can become the top-tier starter he has the potential to be.

Game Flow

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Five-run innings do wonders for a team’s win expectancy.

Halo Hero

Perez figured things out at the plate just in the nick of time. Congrats, Carlos.