Los Angeles Angels bullpen shines in series win over Yankees

We have been talking a lot here on Halo Hangout about the Los Angeles Angels bullpen and again they came through again against the New York Yankees which helped lead them to winning two out of three in the Bronx.

The Los Angeles Angels came into New York fresh off a successful last three weeks which saw the Angels take four of their last six series.  Make that five of seven series.  The Angels used a strong bullpen in games one and three of their series against the Yankees to win 8-3 on Tuesday and then a come-from-behind 10-5 win Thursday night which gave the  Angels another series victory.

More from Halo Hangout

• New York Post columnist has LA Angels bringing veteran starter back to LA
• Dodgers make wild mistake signing failed LA Angels starter
• Why LA Angels’ Qualifying Offer to Raisel Iglesias could become historical
• Both Gold Glove finalists for LA Angels getting snubbed is a complete joke
• Marcus Stroman definitely appears to be interested in the LA Angels

What makes this even more amazing is all the injuries the bullpen has had to overcome this season.  So far six members of the bullpen have spent times on the disabled list.  Closers Huston Street, Andrew Bailey, Cam Bedrosian, and now Bud Norris have all been on the DL this year. Reliever Mike Morin and also rookie Vincente Campos.

It seems like every time a member of the bullpen gets hurt someone else seems to step up.  Luckily for the Angels when current closer Bud Norris went on the disabled list Monday, Cam Bedrosian, who was the closer for most of April had just been reinstated from the disabled list Saturday.  Now yesterday closer Huston Street was activated off the disabled list for the first time since last July.

So in the game Thursday night the Angels found themselves trailing after two innings 5-1 and Jesse Chavez continued to struggle which prompted Mike Scioscia to lift Chavez and go to the bullpen in the fifth inning. From that point forward the Yankee bats went silent as the combination of Yusmiero Petit (2.42 ERA), Cam Bedrosian (0.00 ERA), Keynan Middleton (3.43 ERA), and David Hernandez (2.28 ERA) gave up only one hit while striking out seven Yankee batters which helped give the Angel hitters time to get it together.

Want your voice heard? Join the Halo Hangout team!

Write for us!

In the top of the third with the Angels trailing 5-1 Albert Pujols started the rally with an RBI single, which was followed by an RBI single by Yunel Escobar to cut the Yankees lead to 5-3.  In the sixth inning the comeback continued with a Luis Valbuena RBI single to cut the deficit to one at 5-4.

This brings us to the seventh inning when Kole Calhoun tied the game up with a sacrifice fly.  However, it didn’t end there as Pujols again came through with his 51st RBI on a single that scored Cameron Maybin to give the Angels their first lead at 6-5.  Andrelton Simmons capped the four-run seventh with a two-run double to extend the lead to 8-5.  The Angels added two more runs in the 8th to ice a 10-5 series-clinching victory.

As for the Angels bullpen Petit continued his season-long bullpen utility man roll by pitching two scoreless innings.  Cam Bedrosian still has not been scored in 10.2 innings of work in 2017.Keynan Middleton continues to impress with another scoreless inning.  David Hernandez who collected his first save of the season against the Yankees last Wednesday and continued to lower his ERA with a scoreless inning  giving up the lone hit and he struck out two Yankee batter to clinch the game.

Next: Is Martin Maldonado All-Star Worthy?

Now the Angels will go to their house of horrors, Fenway Park.  Will the Angels be able to continue their strong play, we will have to wait and see.