For years the Angels prided themselves on playing immensely smart baseball.They played aggressively on the basepaths and forced other teams to make mistakes. They played solid defense and got timely hits from unlikely sources. The current roster is the antithesis of those teams. Today the Angels made defensive miscues that led to runs, the baserunners couldn't execute on the bases and hitters who needed to make contact swung and missed. So even though they overcame nearly being no-hit to tie it up and send it to extra innings, it was the little things that did them in in the end.
Game Notes
— Mark Trumbo homered again and continues to be the only real threat in the Angel line-up. Although Trout did get the game tying RBI, it is really Turmbo and a bunch of sub par hitters right now.
— Tommy Hanson struggled early but managed to keep his team in the game. Hanson looked like he was going to get blasted but settled down just enough to allow the Angel offense to scratch even.
— A lot was made of Josh Hamilton getting the day off until he pinch hit in the tenth. This is one of Scioscia's famous "breathers" to clear his head. To his credit, Hamilton did take the first pitch he saw before flying out weakly. So, progress?
— For the first two thirds of the game it looked like the Angels might get no hit. They could not get a read on Freddy Garcia and his array of junk. I have to admit I was releived when the got to him because I don't think I could stomach a no hitter right now.
— Garrett Richards got his first shot in his new role as key to the Angels bullpen and all he did was surrender the game winning run. When Richards is right he is unhittable but right now he is getting way to much of the plate. As a result he is very hittable.
Halo A Hole
Brendan Harris is a ceremonial representative of the A Hole for today's game. Harris was a defensive sub in extras adn immediately booted a potential double play chance. The runner eventually came around to score the winning run. Without a little thing like a missed double play chance, the Angels go to the bottom of the tenth tied rather than down one. Such a little thing, but the difference it made was great.
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