Halo Highlights- Split Of Doubleheader Puts Season On The Brink

A split of the doubleheader wasn’t going to be good enough, but unfortunately it’s all the Angels could muster. The Angels came back in the ninth to take game one from the Texas Rangers, but lost game two 8-7 and now sit three games behind the A’s with three to go. The Angels now need to sweep the Seattle Mariners and hope the Texas Rangers can help by sweeping the A’s to force a one game playoff to get into the wild card play in game.

September 30, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; Los Angeles Angels center fielder

Mike Trout

(27) reacts to striking out in front of Texas Rangers catcher

Mike Napoli

(25) in the eighth inning at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. The Rangers won beating the Angels 8-7. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-US PRESSWIRE

The Rangers had a 4-1 lead on the Angels in game one after three innings, as Zack Greinke had his worst outing in a while, but was able to keep it at 4-1 and give the Angels a chance to come back. In the top of the sixth, after two singles, Kendrys Morales drove in a run with a sac fly. In the seventh Mike Trout made history by hitting his 30^th home run. He became the youngest player ever to hit 30 homers and steal 30 bases in a season.

In the ninth, with one out, Maicer Izturis doubled and Chris Iannetta walked. Torii Hunter brought them both in with a double.

In game two, the Angels gave Ervin Santana a four run cushion before he took the mound thanks to RBI by Albert Pujols, Hunter and Mark Trumbo. The Rangers came right back with a Josh Hamilton RBI double in the bottom half.

In the second, David Murphy and Mike Napoli went back to back. Napoli then hit a three run homer in the bottom half of the third to give the Rangers the lead. Napoli drove in two more in the fifth with a double.

The Angels fought back like they always do, as Howard Kendrick hit a three run homer in the seventh to make it 8-7, but that’s how the game would end.

C.J. Wilson will get the ball against Felix Hernandez with the season on the brink at 7:05PT/10:05ET. One loss or one A’s win and the Angels will miss the postseason.