Angels Hold on to Beat Rangers

I have given up hope that the Angels will finish the season in the bottom ten record-wise. So, with that said; win all the games, Angels. Win them all. Maybe cause a little bit of brouhaha to close out the season. Which would make it interesting to see the Rangers and A’s quiver a little bit with this all-of-a-sudden white-hot Angels team.

Please, forgive my enthusiasm. But, the Angels beat the Rangers tonight. Meaning that both Ian Kinsler and A.J. Pierzynski have to deal with being losers. Which makes me smile. Why? Because…

Michael Barrett, American Hero.

It doesn’t mean that A.J. Puredouchebag wasn’t a pain in the backside tonight. He did go 2-4 with an RBI. I guess my mandated plunking of he-who-shall-no-longer-be-named will have to wait until tomorrow. But, Kinsler, well, we’ll get to him in a little bit.

The Rangers catcher’s RBI came in the second inning, and was sandwiched between an Alex Rios home run and an Alex Rios RBI single. Alex Rios did work tonight. The second of Rios’ RBI’s gave the Rangers a 3-0 lead in the third inning. Not exactly the start that the Angels were hoping for from C.J. Wilson who has been their most reliable starter since mid-June.

But then, in the fourth inning, the Angels offense woke up, and took back the game from Rangers starter, Matt Garza.

Mike Trout (of course) got the Angels on the board when he singled home J.B. Shuck in the fourth inning. Two batters later, Kole Calhoun singled home Erick Aybar to bring the Angels within a run of the Rangers. The next hitter, Mark Trumbo, went kaboom when he hit a screaming line drive over the left center field wall for his 30th home run of the season. The home run, a three-run job, put the Angels out in front 5-3. What did Rangers starter, Matt Garza, think of the home run?

Hmmmmmmm, can’t tell if he is contemplating the meaning of life? Or, if he hates baseball at that moment? Tough call.

An Elvis Andrus home run in the seventh inning ended Wilson’s night. The Angels starter went 6.2 innings allowing four runs while striking out two and walking three. It wasn’t pretty, or efficient, but it was good enough to get his 15th win of the season. He handed the ball over to Cory Rasmus who finished up the seventh inning. He then handed the game over to Dane De La Rosa who tight-roped his way though the eighth.

In the ninth inning, Mike Scioscia turned to Ernesto Frieri to close it out. Which he did, but not until after giving up a double, then an RBI single allowing the Rangers to pull within a run. But all was forgiven (at least, by me it was) when he got Kinsler to strike out swinging on a high fastball to end the game.

The Angels are now eight games under .500 at 66-74, and have won 11 of their last 14 contests. Tomorrow, they will be back at it at 6:05 PM PST when the send Garrett Richards to the mound against Derek Holland and his creepy mustache. Light up the halo, this team is kind of good again.