Reid Detmers was working out of trouble as one might hope. The Dodgers loaded the bases in the first inning but didn’t score. In the second inning Logan O’Hoppe hit one nice and deep to put the Angels up 3-0. That’s what we like to see. Let the kids play indeed!
In the third inning Anthony Rendon hit a gapper for a double to lead things off. Aaron Hicks moved Rendon over to third with a productive out to Mookie Betts at second. We had a man at third with one out for Mike Trout. He hit a grounder to short that Rendon scored on. 4-0 Angels. Imagine driving a guy in from third base. Is that allowed?
In the top of the fourth, Brandon Drury singled to keep the ball rolling so to speak. After Schanuel hit into a force out, Miguel Sano hit a bunch of foul balls before striking out. Schanuel stole second base while O’Hoppe was batting. It was kind of pointless as O’Hoppe struck out.
Serial Dodger Joe Kelly came in to face Anthony Rendon in the fifth inning. He was throwing inside out of the gate. Rendon grounded out and Aaron Hicks struck out on three pitches to end the Angels fifth. Luckily, the Dodgers couldn’t buy a run through five, notwithstanding all that money they’ve been spending.
In the sixth, Mike Trout walked and Taylor Ward doubled to put two men in scoring position with no outs. Brandon Drury promptly struck out. Nolan Schanuel, though, singled to left to make it 6-0 Angels.
Miguel Sano struck out but Logan O’Hoppe walked on four pitches to make it first and second with two outs for Zach Neto, who lined out to end the Angels half of the inning.
Aaron Hicks again struck out on three pitches before Mike Trout walked on four pitches in the top of the seventh inning. Strange.
Oh great! Suarez came in to pitch in the seventh inning. Somehow, he managed to get out of it without allowing any runs.
Shohei Ohtani got replaced by some dude. Shohei was 0’fer with a walk. Kendall George drew a one out walk on four pitches from Suarez.
The Dodgers scored nothing through 8 and the Angels had a 6 run lead. Good enough? Apparently so. Suarez came out for the ninth inning and didn’t lose the game. Woo hoo! Angels win 6-0.
Photo credit: Rex Fregosi
Years later, the one in the middle as the other two’s lawyer.
Fun game. Enjoy these!
24 wins.
this doesn’t fool me and Suarez will never pitch 3 scoreless innings again
I’m going with 81-81 with a healthy Trout and ‘she’s come Rendone’, returning to age appropriate+ production and good stuff from the SPs.
First inning looked bleak then suddenly everything changed.
Always great to beat the Dodgers.
Fo shizzle my…….friend.
A game like this makes me doubt my prediction for the season
Every year there is a team that has some unforeseen magical Ju Ju.
Maybe our turn?
Look – I love magical thinking. But most of those teams have rebuilt and emerged like the Orioles last season. That definitely does not apply here.
Why not? We have a ton of young players just settling into roles (Neto, O’Hoppe, Schanuel, Silseth – even Canning, Detmers, Sandoval and a few in the pen).
Moniak too. He didn’t even play the full season last year with the big club.
Don’t forget future contributors like Dana-na-na, Dana-na-na, Dana-na-na hey, hey, good vibes.