Things got started fast on both sides at Angel Stadium tonight. The Rangers jumped out early behind a Seager 2-run bomb in the top of the 1st, but the Angels answered with a Trout sac fly and a d’Arnaud solo shot to tie it up at 2–2.
The back-and-forth continued in the 2nd, with Texas reclaiming the lead before Soler roped an RBI double to keep things tied at 3. But the 3rd inning saw the Rangers take advantage of some soft contact and infield chaos, scratching across another run to make it 4–3.
Since then, both pitchers have settled down Kikuchi and deGrom have kept bats quiet, and defensive plays on both sides have stopped things from unraveling. Still, with the middle innings wrapping up, this one feels far from decided.
The Angels were trailing 4–3 when the bottom of the 6th began, but they didn’t stay behind for long. Jo Adell led off the inning with a groundout, but that was the last easy out the Rangers got. d’Arnaud doubled to left, Renfroe singled, and Wade Jr. delivered the big hit, a two run single to center that scored both runners and gave the Angels a 5–4 lead. He tried to stretch it into a double but was thrown out at second, ending the rally.
Still, the damage was done: two runs in, and the Halos snatched the lead right back.
After clawing back to take a 5–4 lead in the 6th inning, the Angels couldn’t hold off the Rangers for long. In the top of the 8th, a wild pitch from Sam Bachman allowed Texas to tie things up at five. Moments later, Josh Smith delivered a two-out RBI double to score the go-ahead run, making it 5–5.
But the Angels bullpen kept things in check from there. Kenley Jansen tossed a clean ninth, thanks in part to a double play turned by Zach Neto and a strikeout of Marcus Semien to end the frame.
That set the stage for the bottom of the ninth. Luis Rengifo got things rolling with a leadoff double. After d’Arnaud went down swinging, Newman punched a single to left to move Rengifo to third. With first base open, the Rangers walked Neto intentionally, loading the bases with one out.
Nolan Schanuel then drew a walk after falling behind 0-2 to secure the win!
P12 called it. Sweep incoming so we all can piss and moan about whether we should be buyers or sellers.
trAdition is fun
Trout’s OBP is up to .357. This would lead the team but, he’s about a dozen or so plate appearances from qualifying. The current team leader is Nolan at .354.
As I was trying to say during the game thread, it’s not preposterous to raise the question about Trout being washed/not washed given what’s gone on the past 5 years and now he’s dealing with a balky knee.
On the flip side, it’s also possible that Trout is finally getting into a good baseball groove because he’s getting a consistent string of at bats. Perhaps it was a timing issue due to the consistent inactivity & recovery.
Anyway, here’s hoping to continued health – relatively speaking – and consistent at bats. It would be quite the feat of he could finish around .275 / .375 with 500 at bats.
There’s zero reason to play him in the field for the rest of the year.
Zero reason to play him in the field for the rest of the year.
As regards his OBP it could/should have been a tick higher had he not been robbed of an extra walk last night. He is really of model of plate discipline, hitting patience and how protect the strike zone without flailing. For all the the complaints from the “Trout is washed” crowd this is a skill that has not left him.
Not to mention (and actually related) is his ability to work a pitcher/AB to drive up the pitch count and eventually draw that walk or get a good pitch to hit. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen him fall behind 0-2 and then come back to get the count to 2-2 or even 3-2 to eventually draw a walk or get a hit.
Who would have thunk it: at this stage of his career, Trout is most productive when he doesn’t swing the bat….
Being able to draw Walks is a skill…. and those who are not “good,” i.e., the pitchers don’t fear, usually don’t have it…
Agree with this. I’m on the “Mike Trout is SO NOT WASHED” crowd, but even the great hitters need rhythm and repetition, and I think DH’ing Mike for the rest of the year will only do him and the team good. Put away the distraction of getting ready for the field, and just focus on hitting, pitch recognition, baserunning, etc. I really don’t care if this means he’s on his way to being a full-time DH. I just want to see him healthy and playing everyday. I still think he’s an elite hitter, even if the passivity frustrates me sometimes.
LTBU!
Clearly we did not win this game. Texas realigned their rotation to ensure out eminent demise in the twice as important first game of the series.
Nolan! Ice cold right now and still in it to win it.
I hear a lot of Ippei bucks were lost
The beauty of Ippei bucks is that when the wallet gets light, you just print more….
The thing with Ippei bucks is that you win some and lose some…. The important thing is that you come out ahead at the end of the week, or more importantly the end of the month…. For instance, I won them three straight days on the weekend, so I could absorb a loss last night…. A loss I was happy to take I might add….
Lol as soon as we won I literally thought “man there’s no way gitch isn’t going to bring up the pitching rotation thing”
But you are a Rays and Royals fan !! You said so yourself, in print I might add..
Why do you even care ? Go root for your Rays (who lost last night btw) !
Also, you said the Angels’ season was over on April 1st so why are you even on this board on a daily basis ???
A walk off walk is like kissing your sister, but slightly better.
Uh nah.
Not even close. Thats a really strange analogy M.L. cuz everyone knows There’s no TYING in baseball.
There’s an Al Davis line lurking here.
but last night that walk got you to home plate !
Schanuel walk offs have immense entertainment value
For year, we were a flawed team with few positives.
Now we’re a flawed team with tangible positives.
The next 4-5 weeks are massive for Perry (draft + deadline)….
LTBU! Great win. The ups and the down keep on and on. Bachman was too nasty with that slider on Burger. Should have used the lefty (captain obvious). Nice to see a the fortitude.
https://youtu.be/-CPCs7vVz6s?si=QFrYiZcLNFrZy-sX
loved Schanny’s emotion on getting that walk
Yes he can flip the bat after a walk just as good as anybody in baseball
Good job with the 9th inning double heroics Rengifo, keep pumping that trade value up!!!!
LFG!!!
Team continues to play fun, spirited, competitive baseball.
We are not that far away. Awesome win. Do it again tomorrow.
LT👶U !
yep, the last few years this was a loss
Great win. Full disclosure, I was not optimistic.
44-46 is way better than I expected. Hey, I want to continue on something I started last night. I mentioned how we’d gotten blown out in a few games which gives us a negative run differential. All but one of those was from Opening Day to May 4th. Since May 4th we have a positive run differential and have gone 31-26. That’s more than a third of the season, two months plus. Something is going right.
But Sooner or later we need to…..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdnzBNMfZfo