6-4-2 — an Angels/Dodgers double play blog: Kelvim Escobar's Revenge: Angels 5, White Sox 2

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Sunday, April 29, 2007

Kelvim Escobar's Revenge: Angels 5, White Sox 2

Darin Erstad has terrorized his former club throughout this series, so it's fitting that, after he homered off Kelvim Escobar in the third, the Angels came right back off Mark Buehrle with consecutive blasts by Maicer Izturis and Vlad Guerrero, the latter DHing today. Anderson sat this one out with a continued hip flexor strain, and so Shea Hillenbrand played first while Casey Kotchman stayed on the sidelines against a tough lefty who recently threw a complete game no-hitter against Texas.

Reggie's first fan

Escobar was pretty much dealing on this one, but as it seems with every series against the Chisox, the umpiring unfortunately inserted itself into the game. With Reggie Willits reaching on a single, Gary Matthews, Jr. singled on a flyball to left, and Willits reached third, Matthews taking second on the throw. David Aardsma came in to relieve Mark Buehrle, and Orlando Cabrera flied out on a tough play to left fielder Ryan Sweeney, who had to make a diving catch for the out. Sweeney threw a dart to third, and home plate umpire Adam Dowdy called Willits out for leaving the bag too early.

Of course, the replays showed Willits safe, and so we wonder where Dowdy's head was. Mike Scioscia argued the call long enough to get ejected, and at least he was in the right. It always seems like the Angels get bad calls when they're playing the Chisox. At least this time, Kelvim and the Angels got the win, Kelvim going deep into the game. Maybe the best part was Frankie making the last outs against former teammate Erstad and old nemesis A.J. Pierzynski, whom I still hate.

And, before we go: Brandon Wood got his first major league hit, and scored his first run. Can we send him back now, please? (Nothing against Brandon, but he needs the time in AAA.) They kept cutting to his parents during the telecast, who mostly sat expressionless. I know I'd have a hard time keeping my mouth shut if it were my progeny on the field; as it was, they also got to witness his first major league error, which turned out to be harmless.

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