BALTIMORE, Sept. 17 (UPI) — J.J. Hardy and Mark Reynolds homered and combined for five RBI in the first inning Saturday, sending Baltimore to a 6-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels.

The Orioles handed the Angels a second straight setback to further damage their bid to catch the Texas Rangers in the American League West pennant race.

Los Angeles starter Ervin Santana (11-12) put the Angels in an instant hole and went on to lose his third consecutive decision.

He walked Matt Angle on four pitches to open the first and Hardy followed with his 27th home run of 2011.

Vladimir Guerrero then singled with one away, Matt Wieters drew a walk and Reynolds hit a two-out homer to left on an 0-2 pitch.

Zach Britton (10-10) and two relievers made the 5-0 lead stand up. Britton allowed a run on three hits while striking out seven over seven innings to win for the fourth time in six starts.

Here is proof that the Los Angeles Angels actually play in nearby Anaheim, home of Disneyland and other dreamers, like Mike Butcher.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, the Angels pitching coach said he would take Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, and Ervin Santana “over anybody’s top three starters.”

Even over the Phillies’ aces?

“Absolutely,” Butcher replied. “We’re not pitching to a pitcher. I obviously respect what they do in Philadelphia. Those four guys are all very good. You can’t deny their stuff. But I love our three guys.”

Admittedly, the Angels are good: Weaver is 17-7 with a 2.40 ERA, Haren (who was to start Friday) is 15-8 with a 3.06 ERA, and Santana is 11-11 with a 3.30 ERA. And the Angels have a team ERA of 3.55, good for fourth in the majors.

But the Phillies have a team ERA of 3.00 (to lead the majors), the best record in baseball, and two pitchers who are bona fide candidates for the Cy Young Award.

Time to wake up, Angel fans.

 

Trouble in L.A.

The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Dodgers, 6-2, in Los Angeles on Thursday, eliminating them from the playoffs. From here on the only questions about this troubled season that remain are: whether Clayton Kershaw wins the Cy Young, if Matt Kemp is named league MVP, and who owns the Dodgers?

The first two will be answered at the end of the season. Who owns the team will likely be decided next year.

The Los Angeles Times has reported that Frank and Jamie McCourt expect to settle their divorce – and with it the question of who owns the team – in a trial during the 2012 baseball season. The trial is to last 30-45 days, according to a timetable set forth by lawyers for both sides.

Of course there’s still the issue of a bankruptcy filing in Delaware and Major League Baseball’s displeasure with the McCourts and their ruining an honored franchise.

Case in point: With ballpark attendance way down, the Dodgers have begun asking season-ticket holders whether they were likely to renew.

If a fan indicates renewal is unlikely, the Dodgers then ask why, offering a list of possible factors that include “team performance,” “pricing,” and “ownership.”

 

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Contact Francisco Delgado at fdelgado@phillynews.com.

This article contains information from Inquirer wire services.

 

By Brian Floyd

– Editor, SBNation.com

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Aug 28, 2011 – The Los Angeles Angels took the second game of a pivotal three-game series with the Texas Rangers on Saturday night with an 8-4 win. The win sets up a Sunday night rubber match, with the Angels looking to gain ground in the standings and the Rangers trying to hold-off their hard-charging division rival.

The Angels got on the board in the second when Vernon Wells took Texas starter C.J. Wilson deep for a solo home run to give his team a 1-0 lead. Wells was 2-4 with two RBIs on the night, adding a triple in the seventh that scored Torii Hunter.

Peter Bourjos, Mike Trout, Howie Kendrick and Bobby Wilson each added solo home runs as the Angels used the long ball to cut even the series with the Rangers. Erick Aybar also drove two runs with a fifth-inning single that scored Kendrick and Wells.

Michael Young and Mike Napoli each had an RBI for the Rangers in the loss. David Murphy added a two-run home run in the fifth to cut the Angels lead to two, 6-4, but it was as close as the Rangers would get.

Ervin Santana earned the win after pitching seven innings while allowing four runs and four hits for the Angels. Scott Downs and Jordan Walden pitching 1-1/3 scoreless innings before Hisanori Takahashi came in to slam the door, earning the save by recording the final two outs of the game. C.J. Wilson gave up six runs on 10 hits over five innings in the loss.

With the win, the Angels improved to 72-60 on the season. The Rangers fell to 75-59 with the loss, but remain on top of the AL West by two games. Sunday’s rubber match is set for 8 p.m. EDT at Rangers Ballpark.

For more on this game, visit Halos Heaven and SB Nation Los Angeles, for Angels analysis, or Lonestar Ball and SB Nation Dallas, for Rangers analysis.

Read More: Vernon Wells (LF – ANA), Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Angels

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ARLINGTON, Texas, Aug. 28 (UPI) — Vernon Wells socked the first of five solo homers for Los Angeles Saturday and Angels rode the long balls to an 8-4 victory over Texas.

Mike Trout, Bobby Wilson, Peter Bourjos and Howie Kendrick also went deep for the Angels, who closed to within two games of the American League West-leading Rangers.

Wells also delivered an RBI triple, while Torii Hunter and Erick Aybar each added RBI singles for the Angels.

Ervin Santana (10-9) was only pitching on three days rest but performed well enough, holding the Rangers to four runs on four hits over seven innings as Los Angeles bounced back from an 11-7 setback in the first game of the key series.

Texas starter C.J. Wilson (13-6) was roughed up for six runs on 10 hits over five frames.

David Murphy clubbed a two-run homer for the Rangers.

The Los Angeles
Angels launched five home runs in a crucial 8-4 victory
over Texas on Saturday that reinvigorated their pursuit of the
first-place Rangers in the American League West.

Having been beaten in a series-opening 11-7 loss to the
Rangers one night earlier, the Angels (72-60) hit back with a
power-hitting clinic that pulled them back within two games of
Texas (75-59) in the division.

Vernon Wells began the slug-fest with a solo homer in the
second inning, while Mike Trout and Bobby Wilson hit
back-to-back blasts against Texas starter C.J. Wilson in the
fourth to give Los Angeles a 4-0 lead.

Peter Bourjos and Howard Kendrick got in on the action with
long bombs in the fifth and seventh innings respectively and
Angels pitcher Ervin Santana (10-9) had enough support to earn
the win after allowing four runs in seven innings.

Wilson (13-6) took the loss having surrendered six runs and
10 hits in five innings.

Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia altered his pitching
rotation prior to this critical three-game series to ensure his
team would have their top three throwers on the mound.

The Angels will conclude the series with ace Jered Weaver on
Sunday as they try to inch closer to the Rangers.

 

By Eric Stephen

– Managing Editor

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Aug 20, 2011 – Joel Pineiro makes his return to the starting rotation on Saturday night as the Los Angeles Angels battle the Baltimore Orioles in the second game of a three-game weekend series in Anaheim. Pineiro, who was removed from the starting rotation three weeks ago, made three appearances in relief. His return to the rotation is really more out of necessity than anything.

Rookie Garrett Richards strained his right groin Monday night against Texas and was placed on the disabled list. Fellow rookie Tyler Chatwood was optioned to Triple A Salt Lake on Thursday when catcher Hank Conger was recalled. The Angels are desperate to find starters to follow Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, and Ervin Santana in their rotation.

Pineiro impressed in his three shutout innings in relief of Richards on Monday, including just the third three-strikeout inning of Pineiro’s career. However, Pineiro allowed runs in his other two relief outings, giving up six runs (five earned) in eight innings overall in relief. Since the All-Star break, Pineiro has an 11.39 ERA in 21 1/3 innings, with eight walks and just five strikeouts.

Tommy Hunter, who was acquired along with Chris Davis from Texas in the Koji Uehara trade on July 30, gets the start for Baltimore. Hunter is 2-2 with a 4.28 ERA on the season, including 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in four games, including three starts, with the Orioles. The Angels have won three of four games against Baltimore this season.

Saturday’s 6:05 p.m. PDT game will be televised by Fox Sports West. For more news and information on the Angels, be sure to read Halos Heaven.

Read More: Dan Haren (P – ANA), Joel Pineiro (P – ANA), Jered Weaver (P – ANA), Ervin Santana (P – ANA), Chris Davis (1B – BAL), Hank Conger (C – ANA), Tommy Hunter (P – BAL), Koji Uehara (P – TEX), Tyler Chatwood (P – ANA), Garrett Richards (P – ANA), Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Angels, Baltimore Orioles at Los Angeles Angels, Aug 20, 2011 6:05 PM PDT

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