Trout Solves Colon, But the Rest of the Angels Offense Flounders Against Oakland Ace

Another series against the A’s where Bartolo Colon gets a start against the Angels. Another Bartolo Colon start where the Angels offense gets lulled to sleep by 89 MPH fastballs. Well, most of them did. Mike Trout didn’t seem to have any trouble against Oakland’s Ace. Trout went 3-4 on the night, clubbing his 17th home run of the season in the first inning to get the Angels out in front early. Not a bad start considering how Colon handed the Angels their backside when he faced them earlier this week.

Too bad it was Jerome Williams start day. A mere two months ago, Angels fans were pining for Williams to get inserted into Joe Blanton‘s spot in the rotation. Now? I’m pretty sure none of us would mind if he got placed on the same raft with Blanton and pushed out to sea. He got 15 outs again, so, consistency, I suppose. And he did only allow four runs this time, so maybe I should take it easy on the Hawaiian. But, I’m as optimistic about a game that Williams is starting as I am when Blanton is starting.

Williams’ trouble began in the bottom of the first when Jed Lowrie hit a solo home run to cut into the lead that Mike Trout had built, making the score 2-1. An inning later, the A’s put up three runs on RBI singles by Lowrie and Eric Sogard. Sogard’s glasses got credit for the Run Batted In. Williams did settle down after that, allowing only three more baserunners during his time on the mound, one of which got thanks to a Mark Trumbo error. But by then, the damage was done. The Angels offense simply had no answer for Colon.

Jerome’s replacement, Michael Kohn, didn’t make matters any better in his one inning of work either. Kohn served up a two-run home run to Stephen Vogt, creating even more distance between the two teams and giving the A;s a more comfortable 6-2 lead.

The Angels did have their chances though. In the third inning, Trout led off with a single, but was doubled up when he tried to tag up on Albert Pujols fly out to center field. A move that looked even worse when Josh Hamilton followed that up with double to right field. In the seventh, J.B. Shuck got to second with one out thanks to an A’s error. but he was stranded their when Trout grounded out and Pujols flied out.

The ninth inning started with walks to Chris Iannetta and Tommy Field. With two outs, they moved up to second and third on a wild pitch, and then scored on Albert Pujols’ RBI single. But it was too little too late as Hamilton followed that up by striking out to end the game.

The Angels move on to tomorrow when Garrett Richards makes his return to the rotation against lefty, Tommy Milone. Game time is at 12:05 PM PST, and is nationally televised. Except back east I’m sure. Light up the fail-o and fire up the grill, I’m sure Colon is hungry.