19
July 21, 2016 Page 1 of 19 Clips (July 21, 2016)
July 21, 2016 Page 1 of 19
Clips
(July 21, 2016)
July 21, 2016 Page 2 of 19
Today’s Clips Contents
FROM THE LA TIMES (Page 3)
Jefry Marte has a blast in Angels’ 7-4 win over the Rangers
Tyler Skaggs might be in line for a start with Angels
FROM THE OC REGISTER (Page 6)
Angels have their mojo working, sweep Rangers to extend win streak to season-high six games
Whicker: Angels’ Albert Pujols, the king, isn’t dead yet
Tyler Skaggs could be just what doctor ordered for ailing Angels rotation
FROM ANGELS.COM (Page 11)
Marte’s blast leads Halos to sweep of Rangers
Lineup depth fuels Angels’ second-half streak
Bedrosian reaching potential, gaining confidence
Coming off shutout, Shoemaker gets call vs. Astros
Graterol paid his dues in 11 years in Minors
FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (Page 17)
Marte homers, Angels sweep Rangers to get out of last place
July 21, 2016 Page 3 of 19
FROM THE LA TIMES
Jefry Marte has a blast in Angels’ 7-4 win over the Rangers
Mike DiGiovanna
The Angels are on a roll, leading the major leagues in runs and batting with runners in scoring position in July, so why not give Jefry Marte, a 25-year-old rookie with a mere 187 big league at-bats on his resume, the green light with a 3-0 count, two on and one out in the first inning Wednesday night?
Marte got just the pitch he was looking for, a thigh-high, center-cut, 94-mph fastball from left-hander Martin Perez, and he didn’t miss it, launching a three-run home run that traveled 455 feet to left-center field.
The blast capped a four-run rally that set the tone on a night the Angels scored in each of the first four innings and extended their win streak to six in a 7-4 victory over the Texas Rangers in Angel Stadium.
“With runners on first and third and a 3-0 count on a young player, we felt like if it was in the zone, he would put a good swing on it, make contact and get at least one run home,” Manager Mike Scioscia said of Marte.
“The downside of it is a young player sometimes expands the zone and makes an easy out on a 3-0 pitch that experience, being the teacher, says you shouldn’t have swung at. But Jefry waited for a good pitch, he was patient, he got a fastball right there and hammered it.”
The Angels, who have won 10 of 12 games after going 2-12 in their previous 14 games from June 20 to July 4, completed their second undefeated homestand of six games or more since 2004, the last coming in June 2014.
They also pulled to within 111/2 games of the Rangers in the American League West, having shaved eight games off the lead in July. Texas has lost 12 of 15 games behind a rotation that is 1-11 with an 8.83 earned-run average in that span.
“When you fall that far back, you go, ‘Here we go, let’s have some fun,’” Angels pitcher Hector Santiago said of the 191/2-game deficit to open July. “Who knows? If we win 25 more straight, we’ll be in a good position.”
The Angels have scored a major league-high 110 runs, an average of 6.9 a game, in July and are batting a major league-best .356 (57 for 160) with runners in scoring position this month.
“These guys keep grinding it out,” Scioscia said. “It’s much more fun, obviously, when you’re scoring runs and winning. It’s going to look like you have a lot more life. But even in the tough
July 21, 2016 Page 4 of 19
times, our clubhouse has been good, the bench has been good, and these guys play to the last out. We’re getting games on our terms and holding leads, and it’s been fun to watch.”
Santiago wasn’t as sharp Wednesday night as he was in his previous three starts, allowing three earned runs and five hits in five innings, striking out three, walking three and needing 100 pitches, 63 of them strikes, to record 15 outs.
The left-hander, who improved to 8-4 with a 4.32 ERA, walked the bases loaded with two outs in the second but was saved by left fielder Todd Cunningham, who made an over-the-shoulder running catch of Jurickson Profar’s drive on the warning track to end the inning.
“He tried to force a couple of things,” Scioscia said of Santiago. “He struggled with his fastball command all night. Instead of trying to pitch his way out by changing speeds, he kept trying to throw harder and consequently lost his release point.”
Ian Desmond singled in the third and scored on Adrian Beltre’s triple to left. That snapped Santiago’s streak of 24 innings without allowing an earned run. Ryan Rua’s sacrifice fly pulled Texas to within 5-2. Mitch Moreland hit a solo homer off Santiago in the fourth to make it 6-3.
Albert Pujols, who was cleared by doctors to play after taking a 92-mph fastball to the face in the seventh inning Tuesday night, singled in a run in the first, giving him 12 RBIs in four games, and singled and scored on a balk in the third.
Cunningham doubled in the fourth and scored on Yunel Escobar’s sacrifice fly for a 7-3 lead. Escobar also had an RBI single in the second.
Relievers J.C. Ramirez, Joe Smith and Jose Alvarez threw scoreless innings. Closer Huston Street gave up a solo homer to Desmond with two outs in the ninth but got Rougned Odor to fly to left with two on to end the game.
Tyler Skaggs might be in line for a start with Angels
Mike DiGiovanna
The numbers indicate that Tyler Skaggs, who hasn’t pitched in the big leagues in nearly two years, is ready to replace the injured Nick Tropeano in the rotation.
Skaggs, who sat out 2015 because of elbow surgery and the first half of 2016 because of a shoulder injury, gave up one hit in 5 2/3 scoreless innings for triple-A Salt Lake on Wednesday, striking out 12 batters and walking three against Iowa.
Skaggs struggled with his command early, but his fastball was clocked between 88 and 92 mph, and he gained a better feel for his curve in the third inning. Of his 94 pitches, 62 were strikes.
July 21, 2016 Page 5 of 19
In his previous start, at Omaha on Thursday, the left-hander gave up one hit, struck out 14 batters and did not walk a batter in seven scoreless innings.
But Angels Manager Mike Scioscia would not commit to Skaggs starting Tuesday in Kansas City, the first day the Angels would need a fifth starter. Right-hander Jhoulys Chacin, who threw four scoreless innings in relief Monday, is the other candidate to start.
“Tyler is in a position right now of trying to earn his way into a major league rotation with performance,” Scioscia said. “His last three or four starts in triple A, we’ve seen some strides toward that. Whenever he’s ready, we’ll look to give him a shot to help us in the rotation, but not until then.”
What does “ready” mean to Scioscia?
“I think it’s performance based,” Scioscia said. “It might not be the things you guys look at in terms of line score. It’s an evaluation of everything from his command to how the ball is coming out of his hand to how strong he finishes. There are markers you look at to evaluate pitchers, and Tyler’s have been good.”
Close call
Todd Cunningham, who has entered as a late-game defensive replacement in left field nine times this month, came within inches of a gaffe that could have been very costly for the Angels on Tuesday night.
After Rougned Odor opened the ninth inning with a single against closerHuston Street, Adrian Beltre ripped a ball to deep left field.
Cunningham raced to the warning track, stumbled and fell to his knees while making a snow-cone catch of the ball, which sat perched atop the webbing of his mitt before Cunningham clutched it for the out. Street retired the next two batters to preserve an 8-6 win.
“Off the bat, I thought it was going to be close to gone, so I was trying to get back to the wall,” Cunningham said Wednesday. “It was a top-spin, tumbling line drive, and I slipped a little bit. The ball handcuffed me, hit me in the palm and almost popped out.”
After the play, Cunningham looked at center fielder Mike Trout, “and he was just staring at me like, ‘Don’t move, it’s going to come out of your glove!’ ” Cunningham said. “You can’t help but laugh.”
Down and out
July 21, 2016 Page 6 of 19
Texas slugger Prince Fielder’s season went from bad (.213, eight homers, 44 runs batted in) to worse Wednesday when he was diagnosed with a herniated disk in his neck, an injury that will likely require season-ending surgery.
Both Fielder and right fielder Shin-Soo Choo, who has inflammation in his lower back, were put on the disabled list, moves that will result in more playing time for super-utility player Jurickson Profar, who entered Wednesday with a .316 average.
Outfielder Delino DeShields and utility man Hanser Alberto were recalled from triple A to replace Fielder and Choo on the roster.
FROM OC REGISTER
Angels have their mojo working, sweep Rangers to extend win streak to season-high six games
By ELLIOTT TEAFORD / STAFF WRITER
ANAHEIM – Good against the reeling Chicago White Sox was one thing.
Good against the American League West-leading Texas Rangers is quite another.
The Angels have miles to go before they can claim to be anything more than also-rans in 2016, but they showed with a 7-4 victory Wednesday over the Rangers at Angel Stadium that they can be more than cannon fodder for their AL peers the rest of the way.
Left-hander Hector Santiago slogged his way through five effective innings, Jefry Marte slugged a three-run homer to propel the Angels to an early lead and their bullpen sealed the deal for their sixth consecutive victory to start the season’s second half.
Next: a six-game trip to Houston and Kansas City.
Santiago (8-4) was nearly flawless in his last start, throwing seven shutout innings and giving up five hits without issuing a walk in a 7-0 victory over the White Sox on Friday. He was effective again Wednesday, but this time it was messy and far more complicated.
No matter, the Angels staked him to a 5-0 lead, easing his burden.
Santiago didn’t need to be perfect, and he wasn’t.
He had a big margin for error, and he used some of it.
July 21, 2016 Page 7 of 19
“He struggled with his fastball command all night,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said of Santiago, who has won each of his last five decisions. “Instead of throwing his changeup or changing speeds, he tried to throw it harder, and consequently he lost his release point. …
“It didn’t seem like he got in sync.”
No question, Santiago didn’t have the sharp stuff that carried him past the White Sox during his last start, and his streak of not giving up an earned run ended at 24 consecutive innings when he gave up a run-scoring triple to Adrian Beltre and a sacrifice fly to Ryan Rua in the third Wednesday.
“After the second inning, I came in here (the clubhouse) and threw a couple of baseballs against the wall,” Santiago said. “Then I just went out there in the third inning and tried to throw strikes. You have to pitch with conviction. I got into trouble trying to make too many pitches instead of throwing hard into the strike zone.”
Designated hitter Albert Pujols continued to torment opposing pitchers, delivering a run-scoring single in the first inning that gave him 12 RBI in four games, the highest four-game totals of his career, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
Pujols hit not one but two three-run homers in the Angels’ 8-6 victory Tuesday over the Rangers for his second multi-homer game in his last three contests. The victory extended the Angels’ winning streak to five games to start the season’s second half.
“These guys, they know what it’s about and they keep grinding it out,” Scioscia said. “When you’re scoring runs and you’re winning, it’s going to look like you have a lot more life, but even in the tough times, our clubhouse has been good, our bench has been good.
“Since the (All-Star) break, we’re getting games on our terms.”
Racing to a 4-0 lead after the first and extending it to 5-0 after the second and putting the Rangers in early jeopardy got the Angels pointed in the right direction. Completing a three-game sweep of the Rangers moved the Angels within 11-1/2 games of Texas.
Marte provided the thunder in the first by belting a 3-and-0 pitch from Texas left-hander Martin Perez (7-7) over the left-center field fence for a three-run homer. Scioscia could have had Marte wait for ball four, but Marte was given the green light, and he responded with his sixth homer of the season.
July 21, 2016 Page 8 of 19
Whicker: Angels’ Albert Pujols, the king, isn’t dead yet
By MARK WHICKER / STAFF WRITER
ANAHEIM – He wears No. 5 on his back. He does not wear No. 5 More Years At $28 Million Per.
He no longer is a fixture on All-Star Weekend. He has not brought championships to Anaheim, although that wasn’t his job description.
He is Albert Pujols at 36, raging against the twilight, and those who boo him at Angel Stadium are beginning to notice that nobody else does. When judged against everything except his own footprints, he’s fine.
Pujols hit two home runs Tuesday night. He hit two home runs Sunday. Pitcher Jered Weaver positions a miniature Darth Vader, with Angel cap, at different places in the clubhouse. It was at Pujols’ locker Wednesday, although Pujols said it wasn’t a prize.
Then he went out in the first inning and singled to left and drove in another run, his 12th of a six-game homestand and his 72nd of the season. In the American League, Edwin Encarnacion and David Ortiz are the only men with more.
“He’s the cog in the middle of the lineup, the guy who’s doing what he should do.” said Tim Salmon, the Angels Hall of Famer and current broadcaster. “Any team out there would plug him into the middle and be very excited.”
He also is benefiting from foot surgery last fall that ended years of suffering from plantar fasciitis. But it’s not just raw RBI.
True, Pujols has had the second-most scoring-position opportunities of anyone in the league, behind Houston’s Carlos Correa. But he’s hitting .314 with men on second and/or third, and his OPS in those situations is .986.
Pujols’ “slash-line” stats aren’t great, with a .778 OPS, which would be a low for a staggering career that has included eight seasons over 1.000. The Angels knew they weren’t getting that particular Pujols when they signed him before the 2012 season. They also knew they were getting a rich local TV deal, the very next day, that would pay Pujols’ salary.
Fans blame his paralyzing contract on the state of the Angels, but Arte Moreno also went high for Josh Hamilton and C.J Wilson and got far less.
“The reality is that it’s just a game,” Pujols said. “I look back at 2012 and people say I struggled, but I still got 30 home runs and 100 RBI, and I didn’t hit a home run until May and didn’t hit one in September.
July 21, 2016 Page 9 of 19
“I wasn’t able to train the way I wanted to when I had foot surgery, but thank God I got some spring training in. But you can’t stay hot for six months.”
Well, he used to. And Pujols is doing well in his age group. Mark Teixeira also is 36 and is hitting .182 with 20 RBI. Even Joe Mauer, at 33, has 29 RBI and a .268 average. Pujols has driven in more runs than Adrian Beltre (37 years old) and Victor Martinez (also 37).
But then four of the top 17 RBI men in the league are at least 35 years old.
“Young guys come up and say, I grew up watching you,” Pujols said, laughing. “I say, look, I’m only 36, not that old.”
“What I notice is that he doesn’t get fooled,” Salmon said. “A guy might be throwing 97, then he throws a nasty slider. Albert doesn’t even check his swing. I know how hard that is. His pitch recognition is still so good.”
Pujols has struck out 45 times and walked 41 times. “I’d like to have more walks than strikeouts,” he said, and he did that for 10 straight years. Of the top 19 home run hitters in the American League, Pujols and the 40-year-old Ortiz have the fewest strikeouts.
“It’s what I hate about the game as much as anything,” Pujols said. “It’s like you hurt your team twice. You make an out and you lose a chance to start a rally. As long as you make contact you can get something started.”
Pujols has seen Mike Trout grow from a baseball embryo to one of the best players since himself. “I’ll tell my kids and grandkids that I was his teammate from the beginning,” Pujols said. “He always wanted to get better. Which is scary.”
When Trout was pillaging the league and winning the MVP in 2014, he was intentionally walked only six times, with Pujols behind him. Last year Trout got that pass 14 times. Pujols hit 40 home runs, too.
“I’d watch that and I’d wonder what was going through Albert’s head,” Salmon said. “This isn’t supposed to happen to The King.”
Kings go through wars and illness and revolution and old age. Always have. But they’re still kings.
Tyler Skaggs could be just what doctor ordered for ailing Angels rotation
By ELLIOTT TEAFORD / STAFF WRITER
ANAHEIM – If not now, then when? If not Tyler Skaggs, then who?
July 21, 2016 Page 10 of 19
The Angels have only four healthy starting pitchers available at the moment, one shy of the usual five-man rotation, after right-hander Nick Tropeano was discovered to have suffered a torn ligament in his right elbow that’s likely to require Tommy John reconstructive surgery.
The left-handed Skaggs could fill the void in the rotation Tuesday in Kansas City, the Angels’ fifth game on a six-game trip that begins Friday in Houston. He could slip into Tropeano’s No. 4 spot in the rotation after another in a string of standout starts Wednesday for Triple-A Salt Lake.
Or so it would seem.
Manager Mike Scioscia was noncommittal when asked about Skaggs’ future.
Skaggs had 12 strikeouts in 5-2/3 innings in Salt Lake’s 5-0 victory Wednesday over Iowa, a superb follow-up to his club-record 14-strikeout performance July 14 against Omaha. Skaggs (3-2) gave up one hit and walked three Wednesday. He threw 94 pitches (62 for strikes).
“I think Tyler is in a position right now of trying to earn his way into a major league rotation with performance,” Scioscia said. “In his last three or four starts in Triple-A, we’ve seen some strides toward that. Whenever he’s ready, we’ll be looking to give him a shot in our rotation.
“But not until then.”
Scioscia had a specific list of items the Angels would need to see from Skaggs before calling him up to make his first start since he was sidelined by Tommy John surgery two years ago. Most of them are predictable, but throwing a certain number of pitches in a game was not one of them.
“It might not be the things you guys (reporters) are looking at as far as the line score, but I think the evaluation of everything from his command to the way the base is coming out of his hand, to how strong he finishes,” Scioscia said.
“There are markers to look at … to evaluate how his start is. Tyler’s have been good. You’re going to question what his command is, and whether he can fine-tune stuff. Some of this stuff goes beyond the box score and we’ll have an evaluation and see how he goes.”
Scioscia said he still considers Skaggs, a 25-year-old Woodland Hills native, to be a young pitcher. After all, Skaggs has made just 31 appearances over three years with the Angels and the Arizona Diamondbacks. His last big-league game was July 31, 2014.
“He’s a young pitcher, yes,” Scioscia said. “It's one thing making it to the big leagues. It’s another carving out a career. We have very, very high expectations of the pitcher he can be. Hopefully, he can reach those.”
July 21, 2016 Page 11 of 19
PUJOLS UPDATE
Designated hitter Albert Pujols was back in the Angels’ lineup after he was hit in the head by Texas reliever Tony Barnette’s 92-mph fastball in the seventh inning Tuesday. Dr. Craig Milhouse examined Pujols and cleared him to play. Pujols’ desire to play didn’t surprise Scioscia.
Despite the Angels’ lowly 42-52 record and fourth-place standing in the AL West going into Wednesday’s series finale against the Rangers, the Angels continue to come to work expecting better days are just around the corner, according to Scioscia.
“We’ve got some guys who are banged up and playing every day and we’ve had some guys who need a day off and they’re still in the lineup and they keep grinding,” he said. “Albert got hit in the head last night and he’s adamant that he’s ready to go. He wants to stay in the game. He wants to play.”
Pujols slugged four homers in three games going into Wednesday.
FROM ANGELS.COM
Marte’s blast leads Halos to sweep of Rangers
By Fabian Ardaya and T.R. Sullivan
ANAHEIM -- Angels first baseman Jefry Marte got the green light and didn't miss, as his three-run, first-inning home run powered the Angels' offense to a 7-4 win and series sweep over the Rangers on Wednesday night.
Marte's blast sparked a four-run first inning as the Angels scored in each of the first four innings against Rangers left-hander Martin Perez. Perez, who owned a 5.49 road ERA entering Wednesday's start, got knocked around for seven runs in six-plus innings.
"We're getting contributions from a lot of guys," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "Our lineup is getting deeper. You see Jefry Marte get a big hit for us. I think our baserunning has been better, our situational hitting has been really good and our on-base percentage for the last month has been terrific."
Texas threatened often against Angels left-hander Hector Santiago, biting him for a couple of runs in the third inning on an RBI triple from Adrian Beltre and a Ryan Rua sacrifice fly. In the fourth, first baseman Mitch Moreland hit a Statcast-projected 419-foot homer to center field to cut the deficit to three runs. Santiago struggled, but still managed to get through five innings of
July 21, 2016 Page 12 of 19
three-run ball and pick up the win as JC Ramirez, Joe Smith, Jose Alvarez and Huston Street held the lead out of the bullpen.
The Angels remain undefeated since the All-Star break after completing a 6-0 homestand, and the club has won 10 of its last 12 games. The Rangers have lost 12 of their last 15 and they now lead the American League West by 3 1/2 games over the Astros.
"I don't want to put a silver lining on this, we've got to get this turned around," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. "But I'm still seeing positive signs. We've got a day off tomorrow, guys regroup, go into Kansas City and we need to come out and play well."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Marte mashes: Marte, who returned to the lineup and played first base for the first time in five games, showed little rust with his three-run home run. Marte took a 3-0 fastball from Perez and smoked it over the wall in left-center, driving it a Statcast-projected 455 feet with an exit velocity of 110 mph. It was the second-longest home run the Angels have hit this season, and the longest the team has hit at home.
"With guys in scoring position, there no doubt that when guys get a good pitch to hit you want to be aggressive," Scioscia said. "Jefry doesn't expand too much, especially against left-handed pitchers, so we were fairly confident that if it was a ball he was going to take the walk and if it was there he was going to put a good swing on it."
Rangers miss counter blow: Santiago walked three in the second inning as the Rangers loaded the bases with two outs. Jurickson Profar then hit a drive to deep left but Todd Cunningham ran it down on the warning track for the third out.
"We hit some balls hard," Banister said. "Profar swung the bat as good as anybody tonight and had nothing to show for it."
Santiago no longer streaking: Beltre's third-inning RBI triple snapped Santiago's streak of 24 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run. He was one of just three starters in Angels history to do so in three consecutive starts leading into Wednesday, and he tied Frank Tanana and Mark Langston for the longest streaks for the team since 1974.
"I think Hector tried to force a couple things tonight," Scioscia said. "He struggled with fastball command all night, and instead of trying to pitch his way out by using his changeup or changing speeds he kept trying to throw harder. Consequently, he lost his release point."
Two-out balk costs Perez: Among Perez's troubles was a two-out balk in the third that allowed Albert Pujols to score. The Angels had runners at second and third with two outs at the time when Perez was caught making a brief, but illegal flinch from the set position.
"I was trying to shake off [the catcher] and I moved my shoulders," Perez said.
July 21, 2016 Page 13 of 19
QUOTABLE "I see intensity. There is no panic. This a group of guys still grinding it out and still confident." -- Banister
"If we win 25 more straight, we'll be in good shape." -- Santiago, on the Angels' strong stretch and trying to get back into the race
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS The Rangers allowed 24 runs in three games in getting swept by the Angels. Nine of those runs reached base on seven walks, one hit batter and one error.
The Angels completed just their second perfect homestand of six or more games since 2004 with Wednesday's win. They previously accomplished the feat in 2014, sweeping consecutive series against the Rangers and the Twins.
WHAT'S NEXT Rangers: The Rangers open a three-game series against the Royals at 7:15 p.m. CT on Friday night at Kauffman Stadium. Right-hander Yu Darvish will be on the mound for the Rangers in the first regular-season meeting between two Spring Training partners in Surprise, Ariz. This will be Darvish's second start since coming off the disabled list.
Angels: The Angels have an off-day Thursday before traveling to Houston to start a three-game series against the Astros on Friday. Right-hander Matt Shoemaker (5-9, 4.08 ERA), the defending American League Player of the Week, will look to build off his first career shutout where he posted a career-high 13 strikeouts. First pitch is scheduled for 5:10 p.m. PT.
Lineup depth fuels Angels’ second-half streak Club is 6-0 since break and is getting contributions from top to bottom
By Fabian Ardaya
ANAHEIM -- Already up 1-0 in the first inning with runners on the corners and one out, Angels manager Mike Scioscia decided it was time to tell first baseman Jefry Marte to let it rip.
Marte didn't miss, driving a three-run shot that would power the Angels to a 7-4 winover the Rangers on Wednesday night. It was their sixth win in a row, securing a 6-0 homestand after the All-Star break and just the second perfect homestand of six or more games for the club since 2004.
The 25-year-old Marte, facing a 3-0 count, saw a 94-mph fastball from left-handerMartin Perez and ripped it into the rock formation in left-center field, drawing a noticeable gasp from the crowd of 37,095 at Angel Stadium. The homer traveled a Statcast-projected 455 feet, the second-longest blast and the longest one hit at home for the Angels this season.
July 21, 2016 Page 14 of 19
"With guys in scoring position, there no doubt that when guys get a good pitch to hit you want to be aggressive," Scioscia said of the decision to tell Marte to swing away. "Jefry doesn't expand too much, especially against left-handed pitchers, so we were fairly confident that if it was a ball he was going to take the walk and if it was there he was going to put a good swing on it."
The Angels recorded seven runs for the fourth consecutive game, doing so for the first time since July 25-29, 2007.
The Angels have won 10 of their last 12 games, largely due to an offense that has scored more runs -- 110 -- than any team in the Majors in July. Scioscia said he feels his lineup has more depth than ever as of late.
"We're getting contributions from a lot of guys," Scioscia said. "Our lineup is getting deeper. You see Jefry Marte get a big hit for us. I think our baserunning has been better, our situational hitting has been really good and our on-base percentage for the last month has been terrific."
The middle of the order has had success. Center fielder Mike Trout launched a game-sealing homer Friday, and has even seen more opportunities to hit as designated hitter Albert Pujols has flashed much of his past dominant form. Pujols -- who had multi-homer games in two of the previous three games -- went 2-for-4 on Wednesday, chipping in his 12th RBI in the last four games with a first-inning single. He's on a torrid stretch, hitting .342 over his last 21 games.
More important is the bottom of the order contributing. First baseman Ji-Man Choilaunched his first career home run to spark a comeback Monday. ShortstopAndrelton Simmons has turned it on, with a .381 average since June 23. Wednesday night, it was Marte's turn.
"That's the thing about this team right now," Marte said. "We're all going together. One day it's Pujols, another it's Trout, today it's me. Anyone can do it. We just have to keep it going."
Bedrosian reaching potential, gaining confidence
By Fabian Ardaya
ANAHEIM -- The one thing scouts never doubted about Angels reliever Cam Bedrosian -- who's armed with a mid-90s fastball and a devastating slider -- was his potential.
Now in his third season in the Majors, Bedrosian is starting to put things together. The results are frightening, at least to opposing hitters.
The 24-year-old has posted a 1.03 ERA through his first 39 appearances, quickly becoming the Angels' most effective arm out of the bullpen. Going into Wednesday he hadn't given up a run
July 21, 2016 Page 15 of 19
since May 31, a streak of 20 consecutive outings, which ranks as the seventh-best in club history.
Because of his success, Bedrosian has seen himself surpass a struggling Joe Smith and work his way into the eighth-inning setup role. It worked to perfection in Tuesday's 8-6 win over the Rangers, as Smith, Bedrosian and closer Huston Streetworked scoreless seventh, eighth and ninth innings to shut the door. Bedrosian worked well in his inning, giving up a leadoff single to Elvis Andrus before earning back-to-back punchouts on sliders and a flyout.
Bedrosian has cleaned things up in his third season, cutting his 5.6 walks per nine innings as a rookie in half while also seeing his strikeout per nine innings rate increase to 9.8. Bedrosian said he's been more aggressive than ever with his fastball and slider, trying to work both for strikes early in counts to set up hitters. He's also used his slider more than ever, working it up to almost 30 percent this season as opposed to the low-to-mid 20s he used it last season.
Angels manager Mike Scioscia sees a much more confident pitcher than the one who posted ERAs of 6.52 and 5.40 through his first two seasons in the league.
"As [Bedrosian's] evolved as a pitcher, you can definitely sense a lot more confidence," Scioscia said. "That's not unusual for young players. You're up in the big unknown [in the Majors]. How talented you feel you are and how comfortable you are with your ability, the litmus test is going out there and getting it done."
Worth noting
• Designated hitter Albert Pujols was evaluated Wednesday after taking a Tony Barnette fastball to the helmet in Tuesday's 8-6 win over the Rangers. Scisocia said Pujols is fine and was not diagnosed with a concussion. Pujols was in the lineup Wednesday, batting cleanup.
• Left-hander Tyler Skaggs pitched well again Wednesday in what could be his final start with Triple-A Salt Lake before a Major League return. Skaggs threw 5 2/3 shutout innings, giving up one hit and striking out 12 on 94 pitches. The left-hander is one of the candidates to take Nick Tropeano's spot the next time through the rotation.
• Angels shortstop Cliff Pennington began a Minor League rehab assignment with Salt Lake on Wednesday. Pennington, who is recovering from his second left hamstring strain this season, is eligible to be activated off the 15-day disabled list on July 31.
• Angels left fielder Craig Gentry is also in Triple-A. Scioscia said Gentry has made progress, but still has a ways to go before he can return to the Majors.
"Craig's got some work ahead of him," Scioscia said. "He missed a lot of time, and he's down there playing now and the initial reports are good but he's got some work in front of him."
July 21, 2016 Page 16 of 19
Coming off shutout, Shoemaker gets call vs. Astros
By Brian McTaggart
The Astros will try to extend their dominance over the Angels when they send Lance McCullers to the mound in Friday's series opener at Minute Maid Park. Houston is riding an eight-game winning streak over the Halos, including consecutive sweeps.
McCullers (4-4, 3.61 ERA) has lost his past two starts, including one on July 9 to the A's in Houston. He only lasted four innings in that game and couldn't escape the sixth in his last start Saturday in Seattle despite allowing only one run.
Angels starter Matt Shoemaker (5-9, 4.08 ERA) is 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA in three starts against the Astros this year, allowing 20 hits with 24 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings. He's coming off a six-hit shutout of the White Sox on Saturday in Anaheim.
Things to know about this game
• The Astros have gone 18-6 at home since May 24 and have the best record in baseball overall in that span. Houston is 28-19 at home overall this year.
• Albert Pujols, who blasted a pair of three-run homers on Tuesday to beat the Rangers, has hit 58 career homers against the Astros, including 52 in the regular season. That is his most against a team in his career.
• Astros second baseman Jose Altuve leads the Major Leagues in batting average and hits and is riding a four-game multihit streak. He is hitting .290 at home this year, but he is batting .500 (18-for-36) against the Angels this season.
Graterol paid his dues in 11 years in Minors Angels catcher grateful for opportunity with third team
By Fabian Ardaya
ANAHEIM -- Not much has even been expected of Angels catcher Juan Graterol -- he's never cracked the club's top 30 prospects on MLBPipeline.com -- but yet as he prepared to lace up his cleats Wednesday, he found himself in the Major Leagues.
Graterol's journey to this point has been long -- 11 years and three organizations, to be exact. So, it was understandable as 27-year-old walked around the clubhouse with a giant grin on his face when he first arrived in the Majors on Monday.
July 21, 2016 Page 17 of 19
"It's exciting," Graterol said. "I feel blessed, and this is unbelievable. Everyone hopes for that -- every player -- when you sign and when you're a little kid. Your goal is to play in the big leagues."
Graterol came up as a source of need as starting catcher Geovany Soto went on the 15-day disabled list with left knee inflammation. Carlos Perez, who was sent down when Soto was activated from his first DL stint on July 9, still needs time to work on getting consistent at-bats, manager Mike Scioscia said. Perez is hitting .364 with four extra-base hits in 22 at-bats at Triple-A, but needs to continue to do so before he can find his way up to the Majors.
Graterol, who hit .292/.331/.357 with a homer and 19 RBIs in 46 Triple-A games this season, isn't expected to play a major role in the bigs. Scioscia, however, thinks he has value.
"Juan is a really good receiver with soft hands," Scioscia said. "He blocks well, does all the things behind the plate that you want to see. At the plate, he's improved as a hitter and offensive player from what he's done throughout his career. He earned his way up the depth chart."
In all likelihood, Graterol simply will serve as a backup to Jett Bandy and be there for an emergency situation. He was not in the lineup for the third straight game Wednesday, but Graterol is used to waiting. He signed with the Royals as a 16-year-old, then passed through the Yankees as he toiled for 11 years in the Minors before finding himself in Anaheim.
"When you're playing well, you're always ready for that call for the opportunity," Graterol said. "The opportunity came here with the Angels, and I'm just ready to come up here and do my thing."
For now, he's just glad to call himself a big league ballplayer.
"I even surprised myself," Graterol said. "I really made it. Wow. This is unbelievable."
FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Marte homers, Angels sweep Rangers to get out of last place
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Jefry Marte hit a three-run homer and the Angels shut down a late rally by the AL West-leading Texas Rangers for a 7-4 win Wednesday night that gave Los Angeles a three-game sweep.
It was the second straight sweep for the Angels, who won their sixth in a row and moved out of last place in the AL West.
July 21, 2016 Page 18 of 19
Albert Pujols had two hits and scored twice, Yunel Escobar had two RBI and Marte hit his sixth home run.
The Rangers rallied in the ninth inning when Ian Desmond homered,Adrian Beltre doubled and Ryan Rua singled to put runners on the corners with two outs. The rally fell short when Rougned Odor flew out to left field.
Desmond went with 2 for 4 with the home run and Mitch Moreland hit his 13th homer, a solo shot to lead off the fourth inning. Desmond's homer came with two outs in the ninth offHuston Street, his team-leading 18th this season.
The Angels got a run in the first inning before Marte connected on a 3-0 fastball from Martin Perez for a three-run homer. Escobar then droveJohnny Giavotella home with a single to right in the second inning, putting Los Angeles up 5-0.
Hector Santiago (8-4) pitched five innings for his third straight win, yielding three earned runs on five hits. His 24-inning scoreless streak ended in the third inning, when the Rangers scored twice to cut the Los Angeles lead to 5-3.
The Rangers scored in the third when Beltre tripled home Desmond and then scored on Rua's sacrifice fly.
But Perez's shaky command resulted in another run for the Angels in the third. With runners on second and third and Jett Bandy at the plate, Perez's appeared to wobble in his delivery and was called for a balk, scoring Pujols.
Perez (7-7) lost his third decision in as many games, giving up seven earned runs for the second time in July.
The Rangers have gone 4-14 since June 28.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rangers: 1B Prince Fielder and LF Shin-Soo Choo were both placed on the 15-day disabled list on Wednesday. Fielder was diagnosed with a herniated disk in his neck and Choo has been dealing with inflammation in his lower back. Infielder Hanser Alberto and outfielder Delino Shields were called up from Triple-A Round Rock to fill their roster spots.
Angels: LHP Tyler Skaggs made his final start for Triple-A Salt Lake, completing his rehab from his 2014 Tommy John surgery. Skaggs threw 94 pitches over 5 2/3 innings, gave up one hit, walking three and striking out 12. He's expected to rejoin the team later this week.
UP NEXT
July 21, 2016 Page 19 of 19
Rangers: RHP Yu Darvish will make his second start since coming off the disabled list Friday in Kansas City. Darvish, who is 2-1 with a 3.15 ERA in four starts this season, was on the DL from June 13 until July 16 with right shoulder discomfort.
Angels: RHP Matt Shoemaker will take the hill in Houston following the Angels' day off. The AL pitcher of the week is coming off his first complete game and shutout and is 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA in three starts against the Astros this season.
