Buckner Impressive, Offense Explodes, Angels Win 7-0

Yeah, he’s not THAT Buckner

Judging by the box score, you wouldn’t believe that Jeremy Guthrie held the Angels to no hits and a manufactured run through five innings, but that’s exactly what happened. Through five innings, Guthrie, and recent call up Billy Buckner, blew through opposing hitters the way Amanda Bynes blows through illicit drugs. Buckner didn’t allow a hit until the fourth inning, and after five innings and 74 pitches, left the game having given up only two hits and was in line for his first win since 2009. Not a bad day someone who is in his eighth season of professional baseball, and has only couple of sips of big league coffee under his belt.

Guthrie, was equally as good, holding the Angels hitless through five innings, with the only blemish coming on the back of a Mike Trout walk, stolen base, extra base on an error and then scoring on an Albert Pujols groundout. In the sixth inning, Hammerin’ Hank Conger broke out his whoopin’ stick and finally the Angels into the hit column when he blasted his second home run of the season. The “oppo taco” made it a 2-0 advantage until Josh Hamilton got in on the home run fun, sending his seventh home run of the season into nearly the same exact spot as Hank’s.

A lead of three runs is nice, but the Angels weren’t finished. A team that has scored 47 runs in it’s past six games, is never finished. And in the eighth, they erupted. The Angels sent nine men to the plate in the eighth inning and plated four more runs on RBI singles form Howie Kendrick, Mark Trumbo and Mike Trout, pushing the lead to seven runs, and forcing me to put the bottle of tums back into the cupboard. I have to admit, a week of wins has done wonders for my health.

The bullpen continued it’s resurgence as Dane De La Rosa, Scott Downs, Robert Coello annd Michael Kohn teamed up for four shut down innings. The shut out was the Angels fourth of the season, and it was only the second time that the Kansas City Royals had been held scoreless. This team is clicking like a tap dancer that has found a groove. That’s two simile’s for those of you keeping track, and my High School English teacher said that I was a lost cause. HA!

The Angels go for eight in a row and the series sweep tomorrow when they send the streaking Jerome Williams to the mound to square off with the prize of the Wil Myers trade, Wade Davis. What? No one’s calling him that? Well, they should be. Game time is at 11:10 AM PST, so make sure you get all of your running around done early before the game. Or wait until later. Or just declare it a “lazy day” and veg on the couch watching baseball while eating corn nuts. The choice is yours. The Halo will be lit tonight though, I’m sure Arte doesn’t mind the high electric bill anyway.