After a wet shutout the day before, the Angels looked to bounce back vs Dallas Keuchel. Unfortunately, Dallas is not just a lefty, but one of the best lefties vs the Angels. This posed a huge problem. Angels vs Lefty pitchers have been historically horrendous.
Luckily, Mike Trout crushes Dallas and did so again today. A home run, double, and an IBB vs the White Sox Lefty on the day for Trout. Taylor Ward also had himself a day, with 2 infield hits and a walk.
The one who did not have a good day, however, was the first base ump, as he missed 4 calls on the day. All 4 were overturned on review!
On the mound for the Angels was Michael Lorenzen. The lanky starter some call Loki was excellent today. He went 8 and a third innings, giving up 3 runs on 9 hits, striking out 2 and walking 2.
Highlighted Recap
Mike Trout got things started with a one out solo shot the other way.
The Angels got two more in the third, one thanks to Ohtani.
And another thanks to an Anthony Rendon sac fly.
The Angels scored again in the 4th, thanks to a Velazquez double.
4 runs was all Lorenzen needed as he breezed through the White Sox lineup, getting through 8 innings on just 90 pitches.
During the game, Ohtani pulled his groin running down the line. Panic is appropriate at this time. Mayfield pinch hit for him in the 9th, and added a 5th run. 5-0 Angels.
Jo Adell hit a double off a fielder’s foot, driving in yet another run.
Lorenzen was allowed to try for the complete game, as he had a 6 run lead and less than 100 pitches. Unfortunately, he was unable to finish the game, giving up 2 runs in the 9th.
Thankfully, the Angels have D-Cell. He got the 2nd out of the inning easy, but a misplay from Adell allowed a 3rd run. Then yet another hit put in a 4th run. 6-4 Angels, but a groundball ended the game!
Except it didn’t, as the call was overturned yet again. 2 on with 2 out, up 2 in the 9th. It was a game now, and in the midst of an epic collapse in the 9th, he walked the bases loaded. And then he hit the next batter. 6-5 Angels with the bases loaded and 2 outs.
D-Cell was pulled and Tepera came in and got the 3rd out. The Angels win 6-5.
Lorenzon who probably had the most question marks when it comes to starting, is actually throwing the most innings, WOW.
Keep it going!
So far in 2022 Lorenzen has been the biggest surprise. A pleasant surprise of course. I was expecting a guy to be around a 4.00 ERA or slightly above, (career ERA is 4.02 and career FIP is 4.27) but not a guy to deliver a 3.05 ERA ! And as you mention he is a workhorse. That contribution cannot be overestimated as it performs the valuable task of buying rest for an over-worked bullpen.
Hopefully he can keep a semblance of this up. If he finished the year with a 3.30 or 3.40 ERA or even 3.50 after having taken the ball every 6th day we could only count ourselves as fortunate. When we looked at our SP in the preseason the health of Thor and the performance of Lorenzen were two question marks. So far we have gotten positive answers on both of those questions. Of course the health issue for both guys will have to play out over a full season.
Kelvim Escobar 2.0 But hopefully he was born with all of his shoulder tendons
That’s the takeaway I hove. I’m still worried but our starting pitching has been pretty good. The better they do, the more I believe.
my optimistic take on it. Iggy didn’t have it today, which can happen, and Tep picked him up. So we won. Another night, well, most nights, Iglesias will shut ’em down.
Well, that was like the 3 second rule of wins… kinda gross, but it won’t kill you if you consume it. On the other hand, we had a starter who is “not a starter” go 8 solid innings. Before this year we had just about forgotten what that looks like. We also had a bullpen arm fall off a cliff…. and then the next guy actually do his job. Another thing it feels like we hadn’t seen in years. Where was the multi-pitcher collapse? The offense is still hummin along even though a bunch of the guys still aren’t really hitting. Also a good sign.
Just keep it going another 5 months.
I love these video recaps. Well done.
There are 2 stats that are negative and are working against us. One is issuing BB especially with 3-2 counts. Two is CS (Caught Stealing). While we are excellent going from 1st to 3rd, very good 2nd to Home, we are not that good stealing bases. We do not need to stop or even slow down stealing. What I would suggest is that Benji Gil, 1B coach, start watching video of opposing pitchers and that will assist him in helping our runners achieve longer leads and faster jumps (Starts). There is no logical reason that our fastest and best base stealers (Past records) are being thrown out.
Angels hitters are being more selective with the pitches and working the count. The team is doing well getting on base with BB.
With exceptions of course, we have been watching some very good defense out on the field. Trout is playing some very good CF, Marsh is playing some very good defense himself. Ward has really improved and has the arm for RF. The infield is spectacular and at Catcher we are above average. We have Thor, Shohei and Loren who are way good at fielding as pitchers.
Very nice game Yolki
Angels got a W. That is all that needs to be said. Turn the page and on to tomorrow
5 runs allowed in the 9th was HIDEOUS. Angels were damn lucky to hold on and get the W………..
Meh. It was frustrating in the moment, but a win is a win. Good teams pull out wins even when things start going bad. In two weeks no one will even remember that 9th inning.
I will. Especially if it happens again. Bad outing by Iglesias..
Maybe it wont so cold the next time he pitches so he can grip the ball.
Tepera should be closing anyway
😂😂😂😂
😮
Steel yourself because it will likely happen again. These are the odds.
It happens. Good teams win those games.
At least you said good and not great. The jury is still out on them being labeled great. But the potential is there. If the Angels finally make the postseason in 7 years then hopefully that changes..
Has anyone labelled this team great? I mean GREAT usually means at least a WS, probably more… ie the great 70’s A’s and Reds teams etc. There have been a couple games where the team “looked great” the same way there have been a couple days I also looked great.
No one has labeled them great. Which is correct because the Angels are not even close to great. They’re good but until (or even if) Houston is de-throned the Angels have a lot to prove. But they’re at least off to a solid start..
Why are you so negative about this team, we won a good ballgame. In sports in general and baseball in particular bad things happen to one side and good for the other. Ask the Buffalo Bills who lost a game in 13 seconds after taking the lead and allowed the Chiefs to win. The Yankees lost a WS in 1960 in the bottom of the 9th. OK, the are not great, so what. Go complain on another site you haven’t been tossed from.
Unfortunately you’re going to be asking the Buffalo Bills ALOT.
Was this posted in the GameThread already?
https://www.reddit.com/r/baseball/comments/uga2aj/angels_announcers_matt_vasgersian_and_mark/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
At first I thought Gubie and Vasgersian were talking shit to each other but comments section is hearing some other stuff.
Maybe nothing. Maybe Vasgersian’s last game?
I don’t think that was between Gubi and Matty V. I think Matty V was talking about someone else.
Agree. You hear Gubi say “exactly” like he is agreeing with him.
Maybe Matty V doesn’t give a shit that the Angels now want him to travel with the team if he’s going to call a game instead of sitting in some dumpy studio in Jersey?
So I looked at the standings and the Halos are 3-1 in 1 run games ( I couldn’t find stats for 2 or 3 run spits) and their expected record per espn is 14-9. Plus they’re 5-2 vs lefties. I think the real win is this team was tested in a closer game than it should’ve been. but for the 2nd best AL team, this team needs to be tested in more pressure games. Gotta give some guys for stepping in like Hergert, Barria. and Ortega saving the BP from getting taxed.
https://twitter.com/JeffFletcherOCR/status/1520499308386258950?s=20&t=Y0UnjzClzRbBDmZdJYikeg
Time to head into overdrive.
You ain’t seen nothing yet!
https://twitter.com/TaylorBlakeWard/status/1520251325371494400?s=20&t=Y0UnjzClzRbBDmZdJYikeg
Heck yah! Seminaris is a stud!
And he’s eligible for the IHOP senior discount on road trips too!
By the way – this would have been an L in prior seasons. No doubt in my mind.
I was impressed with Lorenzen going deep and with a good count because more innings of relief could’ve botched it. The offense is better this year. Add the insurance runs which was huge, which are all stories of how this team has improved from last year
Good point about the insurance runs. Always have to try to add on, never be satisfied with a lead, even if it is 4-0 or 5-0 late.
Sosh would have left Iggy in to fail. Soggy Joe did the right thing to pull him (Although I would have preferred Loup against the lefty) As It was obvious to me that Iggy couldn’t grip the ball as well as he normally does.
Totally agree with you Cowboy. Leaving Iggy in there would have been classic Sosh.
And that is why Soth was not a good manager. He was way too formulaic, too rigid…
He would be blind to things that were clear to everyone else watching, or if he saw he ignored it. It was all about his preconceived plan and “roles.”
And agree that if Iggy stayed in we would have lost. Great and necessary move to pull him there.
I was a little concerned that Soggy Joe was going to order an IBB to Abreu with the bases loaded but Iggy took care of that for him.
😂
😂
This year he has some good options on the rare times Iggy is off…last year at this time it would have been Cishek, Claudio, or Slegers. That helps.
It not only helps, it is huge.
Chicago will use today as a moral victory and be super ready tomorrow. Pulling for Sandy!
That may be the last time Joe allows a pitcher to try to throw a complete game 😂
Moral victories count for how much in the standings
I went to talk to my wife about something and came back to this blow up. Glad we made it out alive!
Five to one, baby. One in five!
No one here gets out alive.
*Except today of course
And now we know who to blame. 🙂
Shohei plans on playing tomorrow.
We’ll see how it feels when he wakes up tomorrow
https://twitter.com/jefffletcherocr/status/1520887254473916419
I like the attitude but I’d rather him sit out a game. Too early in the season.
Perhaps, but I like hearing he feels like he could go. That means it is (likely) not TJ of the groin.
I believe I handled this the proper way. I walked out of the house at 6-4, bases loaded, ran errands, came home, found out we won. That’s all I care about. Yes, we could have won 6-0. This game will actually build character. And we won. 15-8
Thank you Eric.
You deserve props for your wisdom and sacrifice!
confidentially, I worried the entire time I was out.
I stayed home and decided to power through it. What doesn’t kill you will definitely make you stronger.
Unless it kills you, then you’re pretty week.
I hope it builds character in terms of what not to do in any game.
I had to take my dog for a walk after that. I needed some air
Well that 9th inning made my bike ride incredibly interesting and stressful. Let’s hope Ohtani’s injury is minor. Let’s take 3 of 4 on Monday.