Boxscore Breakdown #50: Slug it out – Angels 8, Tigers 6

The Angels have been in the middle of the pack, at best, with runners on base this year. It is one of the many reasons that their offense has struggled so much. For one game, they finally figured a way around that problem. Just drive yourself in!

With five homers in the first two innings, the Angels said “to hell with RISP, I’ll do it myself.” That turned out to be a pretty good idea because they didn’t do a whole lot else once the ball stopped flying over the wall.

Angels 8, Tigers 6

Run Expectancy Rundown
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/14TPcq7BgDoxlLB7TButvc0rPpj6ENZcGzddpf_LaFYk/pubchart” query=”oid=1976391661&format=interactive” width=”623″ height=”389″ /] Albert Pujols continues his long climb to respectability and Carlos Perez seems to have decided that he better step his game up now that Iannetta is back from the dead. The Angels survived half a game with Grant Green at short followed by Taylor Featherston showing us why the Angels felt compelled to minimize his plate appearances.

[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/14TPcq7BgDoxlLB7TButvc0rPpj6ENZcGzddpf_LaFYk/pubchart” query=”oid=1154832181&format=interactive” width=”620″ height=”341″ /] I guess I spoke too soon about the Angels getting through this series without Yoenis Cespedes plaguing them. My bad. J.D. Martinez was the real offensive force though. The offensive drag on Detroit was Ian Kinsler who brought up the rear despite smacking his first homer of the season.

Starting Pitcher Scores
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/14TPcq7BgDoxlLB7TButvc0rPpj6ENZcGzddpf_LaFYk/pubchart” query=”oid=161400381&format=interactive” width=”584″ height=”293″ /] Jered Weaver didn’t have his best day, but he wasn’t anywhere near as bad as he was early in the season. If this is him struggling, I think the Angels can live with that. The real struggle though was Shane Greene. I mean, zoiks.

Bullpen Battle
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/14TPcq7BgDoxlLB7TButvc0rPpj6ENZcGzddpf_LaFYk/pubchart” query=”oid=1141913419&format=interactive” width=”620″ height=”315″ /] Alex Wilson really put the clamps down on the fun the Angels were having. Meanwhile, Fernando Salas decided to try and make things interesting by letting Detroit back into the game a bit. Even Huston Street decided to surrender his first longball of the season, just to add to the drama.

Game Flow
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/14TPcq7BgDoxlLB7TButvc0rPpj6ENZcGzddpf_LaFYk/pubchart” query=”oid=451609002&format=interactive” width=”619″ height=”316″ /] Despite the early fireworks, the Angels never really put this game out of reach in the eyes of win probability. They spent most of the game over 90%, but there was a few dips under the line along the way. I’m guessing win probability knew Fernando Salas was lurking.

Halo Hero

This was actually a tough call since only Carlos Perez had a multi-hit game, but Pujols was the only one with a homer that wasn’t of the solo variety.