Today we had Yusei Kikuchi versus Mark Burrows of the Astros. He didn’t stick around quite long enough to get the win. The team got the win.
Inning 1
Zach Neto and Mike Trout on a double and a single respectively. Nolan Schanuel drove in Neto on a fielder’s choice. 1-0 Angels.
Jorge Soler struck out.
In their half of the first, Jeremy Pena singled and stole second. He scored on a wild pitch by Kikuchi together with a throwing error by Logan O’Hoppe. Tough break. 1-1 tie.
Jose Altuve walked and Carlos Correa singled. Fortunately Cam Smith struck out to end the inning.
Inning 2
Yoan Moncada walked. Jo Adell singled to shallow right but Moncada only made it to second base. Josh Lowe homered to make it 4-1 Angels.
Logan O’Hoppe struck out. Oswald Peraza lined out to center. Zach Neto struck out.
Christian Walker quickly grounded out for Houston. Yainer Diaz grounded out to Zach Neto. Brice Matthews short hopped Josh Lowe for two bags, although one of the bags was initially ruled to be the result of an error on Lowe. About the beginning of the fourth inning the scorers changed this to a double with no error. Jeremy Pena singled to Oswald Peraza. It could have been worse. Yordan Alvarez then grounded out to Peraza to end the inning.
Inning 3
Mike Trout singled past Jeremy Pena. Nolan Schanuel singled on a liner to center. Jorge Soler flied out to left center and Mike Trout chose not to risk being thrown out at third. Yoan Moncada lined out to right. Jo Adell flied out to Jose Altuve. I guess you can’t score every inning.
Isaac Paredes lined out to center field. Jose Altuve smashed a one hopper to Zach Neto who threw him out. Carlos Correa knocked one off the glove of Neto for a single. Cam Smith flied out to shallow center to end the inning.
Inning 4
Josh Lowe doubled and Logan O’Hoppe struck out to put a man on second with one out. Oswald Peraza also struck out. Zach Neto grounded out. Oh well.
Christian Walker flied out to center field. Yainer Diaz hit one up the middle that took a crappy bounce off the second base bag for a single. He advance to second on a passed ball to Logan O’Hoppe. The defense was boom or bust today my friends. Brice Matthews struck out and Jeremy Pena flied out to right field.
Inning 5
Mike Trout led off once again. He homered! 5-1 Angels.
Nolan Schanuel walked on five pitches. Jorge Soler hit into a double play. Then Yoan Moncada struck out.
Yordan Alvarez homered to make it 5-2 Angels. Isaac Paredes popped out to third and Jose Altuve got an infield single to Zach Neto. Chase Silseth came in to replace Yusei Kikuchi on the mound. Carlos Correa lined out to center field. Cam Smith was batting while Jose Altuve stole second and reached third on a throwing error by Logan O’Hoppe. Smith line out to Schanue3l to end the fifth inning.
Inning 6
Jo Adell flied out to right field foul territory. Josh Lowe popped out to third. Logan O’Hoppe bounced one through to the right for a single. Roddery Munoz came in to face Oswald Peraza. Logan O’Hoppe advanced to second on a wild pitch. Peraza walked. Zach Neto grounded out to short.
Ryan Zeferjahn came in to pitch. Christian Walker flied out and Yainer Diaz grounded out. Brice Matthews struck out. Quick inning.
Inning 7
Mike Trout led off the inning yet again. This time he flied out to Cam Smith. His OPS is clear down to 2.445. Nolan Schanuel walked. Jorge Soler walked on four straight pitches. Yoan Moncada came up, whereupon the Astros brought in Steven Okert to pitch. Moncada grounded into a force out. Jo Adell struck out.
Jeremy Pena popped out to short. Yordan Alvarez flied out to right. Isaac Paredes struck out looking. Thank you Zeferjahn.
Inning 8
Mike Trout didn’t lead off this inning. Josh Lowe struck out. Logan O’Hoppe popped out to short. Oswald Peraza struck out swinging. I think this was the first inning all season that the Angels couldn’t muster up a base runner.
Sam Bachman came in to pitch the eighth. He struck out Jose Altuve. He walked Carlos Correa. He struck out Cam Smith. He walked Christian Walker. Ironic! He struck out Yainer Diaz.
Inning 9
Zach Neto contributed a homered to left center to make it 6-2 Angels. Mike Trout walked. Nolan Schanuel lined a single to center field. Jorge Soler struck out. Yoan Moncada hit a fly ball out to left field. Jo Adell also struck out. Oh well.
Jordan Romano came in to pitch the ninth inning. He was throwing the ball all over the freakin’ place but Joey Loperfido swung at them anyway and struck out. Jeremy Pena flied out to right. Yordan Alvarez struck out swinging. Game over.
Shufflebot may show up earlier than we had any right to expect tomorrow. As a warmup, Hugo Ball says “Get dancing.”
Cover Photo credit: Rex Fregosi
Wow, what has impressed me most is the managing by Suzuki and pitching coaching by Maddux. The huge K numbers are still concerning but so far we are playing quite well.
It is only two games mind you, but as I stated last night in the postgame thread, it has been 19 years since we last started the season 2-0.
The broadcast crew mentioned it a few times
I think that is notable. I mean, almost two decades of not being good enough to start 2-0.
Pulling for Kurt. We wont see him walking a batter with the bases loaded like that old Angel manager Joe Moron.
Let’s enjoy the two wins and hope for the best today. Zen.
Mike Trout 600 career home runs is back on the menu! Let’s crack 60 this year
love the enthusiasm but I don’t think there is any way Mike gets to 60 HR’s. I would also doubt that he gets to a new career high in HR. That said, like I wrote in my comment about Mike prior to these first two games “the talent is still there.” I am not late coming to this party. In fact, over the last few years when so many people (not saying it was you Pineapple) were saying he “cant’ hit the high fastball any more” I was telling them that was ridiculous. It was then and is now.
However, the other thing I stated in my comment just prior to Opening Day was that I have concerns about his health and him staying healthy. Especially now that he is back in centerfield the risk of injury and/or wear and tear need for time off goes up. I just hope Mike can stay on the field the majority of the season. Strategic rests; i,e “load management” and good luck could allow him to reach All Star type numbers, which he is surely capable of. I would be thrilled if he could play 135-140 games and have something like a .280-.285 BA with say 32-36 HR and what for him is a very reachable .360-.370 OBP.
Hmm … great start, but he still hasn’t hit a high fastball.
I don’t think you are supposed to hit the high fastball that’s why pitchers throw them. The strike zone is shorter this year. We’ll see who adjusts.
I think this is sarcasm, but no font. If not sarcasm, then it is wrong. The HR on Opening Day was indeed the high fastball — all 96 mph of it !!
Really happy for Josh Lowe. Didn’t know about his mom. Great composure during the post game interview.
Likewise, did not know. Pulling for him as much as Trout.
Through just two games, are we already seeing the Mike Maddux effect?
In addition to the pitching, the team as a whole seems way more fundamentally sound so far. Defense made good plays tonight. Guys are working counts and getting walks.
It’s really really REALLY early but so far this team is almost unrecognizable.
lol
I think we are finally seeing the Wash 15
Coaching staff is severely underrated. Suzuki is a former catcher, and we know catchers tend to make good managers. It helps that he’s a relatively recent retiree and has been hanging around the org the last few years. Maddux is a literal GOAT pitching coach, Gibbons is a grizzled bench coach, Brady Anderson and Mabry are experienced, Keith Johnson and Andy Schatzley coached all the young in the minors.
And most importantly, the roster isn’t terrible.
I do like Gibbons and he was respected by the Jays players and had their backs. I thought that was a good hire.
Anyone who predicted 100 loses getting nervous yet?
Not even close. Want to bet $100?
No thanks. Go ahead and take that money to Vegas. They will take your bet. Then you can start rooting for the Angels to loose every game. That should make you happy.
I will take that bet Fansince71. So, if I understand correctly, it is for the Angels to lose at least 100 games this year in the regular season ? I will say they don’t lose 100 games,
Are we on ?
I predicted 123 losses and would hope that’s wildly off!
This version of Trout is why I tune in every day
Yes
82 more to go. This might be one of the worst asstros teams we’ve seen in years
I dont want to jinx but I agree. Lineup is Ass. Was never really scared they were gonna comeback
Starting tomorrow we’ll get to see the other 60% of our starting pitching staff.
Lol. Was thinking the same thing. Detmers gonna detmer.
Detmers gonna detonate
😂
Lol ain’t that the truth. It was fun while it lasted.
Charles Sutton with a Dada deep cut. Hugo Ball reference and Fear of Music. One of the great LPs there.
I had thought I was kind of an expressionist. But the deeper I got into it, I could totally be dada. Either way, it was 110 years ago but still relevant during times like this.
And IMHO one of the coolest album covers of all time.
Peak Trout for two games at least!
Better bat control for Schanuel tonight.
O’Hoppe needs some tutoring – get to it, Kurt!
Digging Dirty Jordan in the 9th.
Jordan, who had an ERA over 8 last year, scares the hell out of me as a closer. Don’t know anything about him though; maybe he was playing through injury?
He was the Jays’ closer ’21-23 and a pretty good one. Elbow surgery in ’24 and lost his fastball, which he’s been trying to recover, but he used to be very good.
Strange to watch the Jays game tonight then toggle over to the Angels, since I’ve always associated Romano with the Jays.
To me Jordan cannot be a long term answer at Closer. Apparently Suzuki wants to go with “Closer by Committee” which I am okay with. Not only am I okay with it, but I am actually the guy who has championed this approach here for years on end. Maddon was the guy who really revolutionized the bullpen when he did this in Tampa. And IF Kurt actually does that, and executes it well, I would be happy. But I am having fears that he’ll rely predominantly on Romano instead. I really hope Ben gets healthy because he should really be the main guy in that mix. I think Bachman as part of the “committee” could actually be helpful as well. I just don’t see Jordan as a guy who can consistently get it done there…
Rada with two walks in his first three plate appearances for the Bees tonight. Mederos didn’t have it though – Aviators up on the Bees 9-1 in the fifth inning already, Kade Morris looking like he’s very near the show.
I’m just sayin’
One word…TROUT
The last time the Angels started the season 2-0 was in 2007 ! That was a LONG time ago. And Vladdy was still on the team !
I’m serious, should we try using an opener for Kikuchi? Man he has trouble with the first.
Not an unsmart suggestion… my wife and kids were annoying, asking me to be present, and I was convinced Kuch was going to put up a crooked number. He’s the proverbial “figure it out” first-inning SP, so a starter would probably just mean a nervy second. Smart people are the worst.
Excellent win, Astros fans must be having flashbacks to when they were the cellar dwellers of the National League. Somehow it just seems wrong that Zefferjunk
Is the winning pitcher.
I hate how they set that – Kikuchisan should get it. Great job.
MVP 4? Let’s go!!!!!!!
LT👼🏼U !! Team looks good🍍🍍