Trumbo, Angels Roll Over Holland, Rangers in 8-3 Drubbing

There is something very satisfying about the Angels beating the Rangers. There is something insanely gratifying about the Angels beating the ever-living snot out of the team from the Lone Star State. Maybe it’s because the Rangers employ both Ian Kinsler and A.J. Pierzynski. Or maybe it’s because the Rangers have owned the Angels over the last couple of seasons. But, whatever it is, when the Angels lower the boom on the football town team, it always makes me smile.

First things first, a tip of the cap to Garrett Richards who, after walking seven hitters in his last start, walked only one tonight. He allowed one earned run tonight over seven innings while striking out five, but that seventh inning was the kind of inning I have been waiting to see from Richards.

He threw 18 pitches that inning, mixed in everything he has in his arsenal, and struck out the side. He has not evolved into a strike out pitcher, but his “stuff” suggests that he has that kind of dominating ability within him. Tonight, we saw a glimpse of that, and it happened at the tail end of his start when he should have been at his most tired.

Second thing second, the Angels pummeled Rangers starter Derek Holland and his creepy hangs-out-around-school-yards mustache. Granted, only four of the eight runs he surrendered were earned, but it is his job to limit the damage when errors arise. Even his own. Likewise, it is the Angels job to capitalize. The Angels got two-out RBI’s tonight from Grant Green, Chris Iannetta and J.B. Shuck. Mike Trout got an RBI thanks to an Adrian Beltre fielding blunder. And Mark Trumbo scorched a Trumbojack to dead center field for his 31st home run of the season.

The Rangers made noise against Angels reliever Cory Rasmus when Mike Scioscia left him in to pitch the ninth after he had tossed a scoreless eighth inning. After he gave up a lead off hitter to he who shall not be named, Scioscia went back to the pen and brought in Michael Kohn to finish it off. Kohn set the next three hitters down in order to send fans home happy, and the Angels to their 12th win in their last 15 games.

The series comes to a close tomorrow when the Angels send Jason Vargas to the mound against Nick Tepesch in an effort to sweep their division rivals. Game time is at 12:35 PM PST. Light up the halo. Winning, it’s like, better than losing, man.