It was a chance for a series win. After what felt like forever, the Angels were in position to win their 2nd series of the year. All they had to do was beat the Pirates. The 17-20 Pirates. Pirates who have a better record.
But that did not matter! Sure, the Angels were in 4th place, and yeah sure, they had trouble scoring as of this year, but they scored a ton yesterday in a shutout! And even the loss on Monday wasn’t that bad! All the Angels had to do was pitch well and this offense was sure to come through. Right?
Jose Soriano went 4 and 2/3 innings, giving up 4 runs on 6 hits, striking out 6 and walking 2. He extended the Angels shutout over the Pirates until the 5th when it fell apart. It was the 2 out downward spiral as baserunner after baserunner ruined everything. Needless to say, he left in line for the Loss.
The Offense and bullpen would have to save this team from yet another series loss. Thankfully, they were able to, and the Angels finally won another series this year. Not to say it was stress free. Since it was very stressful.
Highlighted Recap
The Angels scored first with a Jo Adell Home run in the 3rd.
He doubled that lead in the 5th with another RBI.
Sadly, Soriano fell apart with 2 outs in the 5th, walking batters and allowing hit
After hit
Needless to say, Soriano was pulled. Cimber came in and kept it at 4-2 Pirates.
However, the Pirates bullpen proved to be very Angels like, and the Angels scored in the 6th.
And just like that, it was a tied game.
Soriano was off the hook. And a sac fly meant that the Angels were winning again!
The bullpen held their own, and the Angels were able to win! Actually, the Angels bullpen did not give up a run this series, not even an inherited run! Things are looking up! Glances at standings. 7 Back of first place isn’t too bad in May… right?
Upcoming
The Angels face KC for 4 games. I will be at the game on the 10th, celebrating with the teachers in my life for Teacher appreciation day at the Big A. And maybe also be drinking to get through said game. Sigh. At least this one went well.
Good thing we don’t need to face that Skenes guy that the Pirates just called up.
Although it would have been amusing if Shanny hit a homer off of him.
Jared Jones is another guy we don’t want to face.
Or any Cy Rookie
The Kevin Pillar era of the Angels has arrived.
Pillar/Calhoun Era!
PTC (Pillar, Tucker & Calhoun)
Wow, no games within the division the first month and a half of the season is wild.
Good thing though because you know how bad we play our division rivals so we’d have a really bad record right now.
Welcome to the
Considering that Rengifo is still trying to get over Ricketts, Ebola or some unknown STD, Im sure Drury will go on the IL by the time Air Arte hits the Tarmac at JWA .
Curious who the Angels willed to the roster. Sano is eligible to come off the 10 IL today but I have not heard anything about this rehab. So leaves one of the struggling stiffs form the minors none of which are on the 40 man so that would necessitate another roster jettison move.
Rengifo’s feet are not hygienic.
https://youtu.be/5zqisH5Y_LE?si=PIIfzND9e_ooQKoQ
Some improvement and positive changes with the 2024 Angels….one thing that is unchanged, besides sucking overall, is the amount of injuries, the mystery injuries, the delays in getting off the IL, lack of media injury updates, players playing with injuries and resetting the retroactive date, leading MLB in number of games not played before being put on the IL. Etc….
Hunter Dozier?
Paris – he is already on the 40-man, so no moves needed.
He can play 2B – giving us Adrianza and Tucker for 3B/DH.
wel!! here’s an interesting headline:
“Interpreter Ippei Mizuhara to plead guilty, faces up to 33 years in prison”
From the article I think Ippei got caught *because* the Dodgers signed Ohtani, that if Ohtani were still an Angel the thing would have gone on. But with the new contract the financial people needed information.
“When Ohtani’s sports agent and financial advisors asked Mizuhara for access to the bank account, Mizuhara lied and said Ohtani did not want them to access the account because it was private”.
I those investigating into the illegal gambling org prompted the Dodgers to press Ohtani for info as their investigation progressed.
Remember, they said Ohtnai’s account transfers were already known and identified. I don’t know. 33 years, D@MN!!
Hopefully ad a Club Fed, but lattes and tennis won’t make that time go any faster.
Probably get 5 to 8 yrs.
And his family will be set for life
Yep, he writes his book, “Ohtani and I”
I mean he has that UCR education behind him, am I right?
Lattes and tennis will make it go ALOT faster.
No Shufflebot, but series win!
https://giphy.com/gifs/carnaval-carnival-dance-10hO3rDNqqg2Xe
(we better celebrate these because it doesn’t happen often)
Drury is going to be out with a hamstring issue. Announced as tightness. You know how that goes.
Good pitching in the Pittsburgh series minus 2 innings. The youngsters are doing okay.
Soriano’s stuff the first 4 innings was nasty. He just needs to be disciplined and not lose focus… walking the two batters in the 5th really came back to bite him. And imploding during one inning will cost you the game many times. He was lucky that it didn’t happen today …
Yep
Proud of the boys! LFG
LTBU
Pittsburgh Panthers:
Drury, Pillar, Adell, Sandoval, Bullpen
2 in a row is not allowed!!!
Remember when that would give us cause to speak of the (now dead?) Shuffle Bot….
Those were the days.
Shufflebot has rusted over and is no longer operable.
Shufflebot reportedly met with the Dodgers at Del Taco and signed an 80 year $400MM contract, beginning payments in 2130.
His joints need to be oiled.
Thats what she said.
A series win!
That makes 2 now.
Hmmm.But I wonder what our record is against teams at or above .500……
Well if my math is correct we are 8-19 against teams that were.500 or better . And 6-4 against the losing record teams.
So as long we just play losers we’re golden.
Note to schedule maker.
Schedule more inner squad games.
Ha!
We’d probably still have a losing record.
Let’s get some AA and AAA opponents on the schedule.
Bring on the Astros?
Yep. The Angels still have not won a series against a team with a winning record. So, I am not impressed with only two series wins… I mean, every team in MLB except for the Rockies has at least one series win. Even the White Sox have won one !
The Minnesota Twins won 12 in a row! and are now 20-15! Of those 12 wins 7 were against the 8-28 White Sox, 3 against us. Only two of those were against a team with a winning record (Boston, now 19-17). But they count. Without that 12 game streak the Twins are 8-15.
Which means maybe we can find a 12 game stretch where we play losing teams. 12 wins in a row (10 more now) would make us “winners” at 24-23. I mean, if the Twins are considered a viable team why wouldn’t we be, too?
Because they’re better than us.
It’s May 8 and we are game ahead of the Houston Astros. Who would have thought that? 🙂
Win a series! .500 road trip! Win a day game!
Headed for some home cooking and a horrific 4-11 home record!
Too bad our best baseball is always on the road.
Assume this pattern will continue…..because trAdition
I said we had a shot at this today. A win is a win.
At least we can still beat the sub-.500 teams.
Cimber is unbeatable @ 3-0 (Shhhh all you metric hounds).
Adell staying very relevant and nice team comeback.
Go Halos!!
Wins are wins are wins.
I picked up Adell on my fantasy team when he started getting hot and then dropped him last night because he’s been in a slump ever since I added him. So you all can thank me for dropping him.
I still have him on my fantasy team. Where I went wrong is I have/had Trout and Rendone too.
YOU had Rendone ???
You’re the last guy I would expect to draft Rendone for his Fantasy Team !!
One of the few bullpen pitchers I’m going to miss at the deadline.
I LOVE Cimber. He and Adell are my current favorite Angels.
Another series win for the Halos-you can’t hold a good team down. 😁
Indeedily do!