The Angels are back in the win column and back in the saddle, if those cowboy hats they gave out for the game are any indication. This is becoming an annual event that drives me crazy. Why do the Angels give away COWBOY hats against a team from TEXAS?!!?! THAT’S WHERE COWBOYS ARE FROM!!!!! Why not give away touks when the Blue Jays come to town? Or hipster fedoras when the Dodgers visit? The Angels marketing department just makes me crazy sometimes. But, hey, the Angels won. So it isn’t all bad, I guess.
Run Expectancy Rundown
Hey, look! Josh Hamilton can hit lefties! That is just terrific. Sure, it was Joe Saunders, but Hambone looked very comfortable as he has against southpaws all season. You don’t understand how great that is. What was almost as good is that David Freese is producing. There still is now power there, but he’s also looking like he has an idea at the plate again. The bad news is that Albert Pujols, who was just heating up again, left the game with back stiffness.
Richards was victimized by Texas’ three worst hitters, Michael Choice, Brad Snyder and Elvis Andrus. Snyder at least had the common deceny to give back several runs on defense. Rougned Odor only got to the plate once, but it was a big spot and he failed big time.
Starting Pitcher Scores
The only thing Garrett Richards didn’t do well was go deep into the game. Joe Saunders didn’t really do anything well at all.
Bullpen Battle
The submariner Rowen baffled the Angels as Texas’ only reliever. Meanwhile the Halos bullpen threatened to make a game of it with Mike Morin hitting a spot of trouble and the Cory Rasmus looking like he was trying to get himself demoted again. Kevin Kepsen made it scary, but bailed Rasmus out before Joe Smith closed on the non-save situation. There was a collective sigh of relief that Ernesto Frieri never even warmed up.
Game Flow
C.J. Cron saw to it that the Angels’ win probability wasn’t down for long Joe Saunders’ poor pitching and Brady Snyder’s poor defense did the rest. The only minor threat was in the eighth when Rasmus couldn’t find the zone, but it was never really in doubt.
Halo Hero
Aybar broke the game open with his bat and had this stellar defensive play, so he gets to be this game’s hero.
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