Angels Come out on Winning End of Nifty Pitcher’s Duel

The Angels locked horns with the Seattle Mariners tonight in the third game of a four-game set. And tonight’s game was a dandy. C.J. Wilson and, former Angel, Joe Saunders, traded zeroes throughout the night as it became apparent to fans that one run was going to be all that a team needed to win this game.

It wasn’t until the sixth inning when the Angels finally broke through for that elusive run. Mike Trout led off the inning with a base hit to left field. And by base hit, I mean that that is what it should have been. What should have been a routine base hit to left fielder Raul Ibanez, turned into a hustle double for Trout, and the Angels were in business. Albert Pujols followed that up with a sacrifice fly to right field, moving Trout up to third. Then, with Mark Trumbo batting, a wild pitch on a 1-2 count got far enough away from catcher Mike Zunino for Trout to scamper home and give the Angels a 1-0 lead.

C.J. then went and did something that he hasn’t done much of this year. He protected the lead. Although it wasn’t exactly pretty. After a lead off single for Kyle Seager was followed up by a Kendrys Morales ground out and a stolen base for Seager, C.J. plunked Michael Morse to put runners on first and second and prompt a visit to the the mound from Mike Butcher. C.J. then struck out Ibanez and watched as Mike Trout made a leaping catch to retire Zunino to end the inning.

The seventh and eighth innings were then brought to us courtesy of Shut Down Bullpens For Hire. Scott Downs and Ernesto Frieri teamed up to set the next six hitters down in order. Securing both the win, and a lit halo out in the parking lot of the Big A.

The Angels have now had a blowout, and extra innings game and a pitchers duel int his series. I predict a lot of boring baseball tomorrow when Tommy Hanson takes the mound against Felix Hernandez in the series finale at 7:05 PM PST. Light up the halo, the Angels are once again all alone in third place.