Monday, July 23, 2012 |
They Can Win, Too: Angels 7, Rangers 4
Jeff Passan yesterday on Twitter alerted me to the fact that since June 1, Josh Hamilton has been hitting .201/.290/.396, while Albert Pujols has a healthy .327/.411/.605 slash line over that same time. Endpoints matter, of course, and small sample sizes have consequences for everyone, but it was significant a few days ago that Rangers manager Ron Washington had publicly called out Hamilton for not making adjustments. Certainly, last night's game was a case where he really had a horrible time; he looked to be swinging for the fences all the time, and missed badly almost every time.
Meantime, Dan Haren had a great return game from the DL, giving the Angels better than a quality start in six innings. If Ernesto Frieri was scary in the closer role, and Scott Downs a bit tired and wheezing from overuse early in the season, you could forgive them both given the Rangers' offensive firepower. But the biggest surprise of the second half so far has to be a rejuvenated Kevin Jepsen, who cruised through the seventh, and with the seemingly effortless way he did it suggests he might take an occasional eighth inning role going forward. That's always a pleasant surprise.
The Angels two home runs, the first Bobby Wilson's improbable shot that chased starter Matt Harrison; and the second Pujols' off Alexi Ogando, whom Rangers blogger Evan Grant thinks may be somehow off — possibly hiding an injury? However they came by it, it was good to see the Halos cadge another win off the Rangers at a time when they desperately needed it.
Labels: angels, rangers, recaps
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