With Bats Asleep, Blanton Sinks Angels (Again)

Tonight’s game could be summed up as an ole fashioned pitchers duel. Both C.J. Wilson and Danny Salazar pitched extremely well with their only blemishes being solo home runs.

August 20, 2013; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher C.J. Wilson (33) pitches in the first inning against the Cleveland Indians at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The late-season call-up Danny Salazar has been a solid addition to the Cleveland Indians rotation and continued to showcase why in tonight’s game. As mentioned earlier in the week, sespite sporting an ERA over 4, Salazar has struck out 22 in just 17 2/3 innings and allowing just 12 hits in three big league starts coming into tonights game. After giving up a solo home run to J.B. Shuck, Salazar shut down the Angels, allowing just 2 hits and striking out seven before being pulled halfway through the sixth.

Wilson was mostly just as solid. Despite walking three, Wilson allowed just four hits and struck out five in 7 1/3 innings pitched. His only blemish a solo shot to dead centerfield from Carlos Santana.

Things got dicey in the 8th for the Angels. After walking a batter and getting an out, Scioscia went to the bullpen. Dane De La Rosa got the first out but then intentionally walked the next batter and then unintentionally walked the batter after that loading the bases for Yan Gomes. Four fastballs later all 96 mph or above and Gomes was a strikeout victim. Inning over.

In the bottom of the 8th, Josh Hamilton benefited from the over-shift with a deep infield single. Then Mark Trumbo singled. But with Kole Calhoun up and one out, Hamilton was caught napping at second-base and picked off. It proved to be a costly mistake when Calhoun singled immediately after moving Trumbo to third. Hamilton would have been the go ahead run but it would be for naught. Chris Nelson came up and struck out on three straight pitches.

And that’s about exciting as things got. The Angels bullpen locked horns with the Indians bullpen until the 14th inning when Mike Scioscia was forced to turn to Joe Blanton. One home run and three earned runs later and the Angels were 3-runs down.

Game over. Blanton’d again.