It was great to see Torii Hunter back at the Big A and receive a well-derserved warm welcome by Angel fans and players. Torii had a huge smile like always. Hunter came into the series hitting over .400 and just got his 2,000th career hit in Detroit this past week. This series wasn't about Torii though, it was about the Angels playing solid baseball versus a World Series favorite.
16 hits Friday night handed Anibal Sanchez his first loss of the year. Sanchez did not allow more than five hits in his previous three starts. The Angels aggressive approach at the plate paid off agianst a guy who is always around the plate. Zero walks were issued by Sanchez through 6 2/3 innings. The Angels were able to get a couple runs for Tommy Hanson, who pitched well through six, but even better when he got into jams. Four relievers were used for the Angels to finish off the game with the help of a five-spot put up in the bottom half of the 8th.
Saturday night's first inning is what I've been waiting for this season. An absolute offensive outburst early in a game against a starting pitcher. NINE RUNS in the Angel's first at-bats was capped off by a Mike Trout grand slam to center field off a hanging curveball by Porcello. Although the rest of the game was fairly flat, that inning showed the potential of what this offense can do 1-9. Saturday also marked the first time the top three hitters in the Angels lineup were all over .300 for the season. Skip Hamilton and you can also include Mark Trumbo in that category.
We also witnessed the best start that Garrett Richards has had at the major league level. Whether the nine runs depleated the Tigers or not, there is still a plethora of talent in that lineup. Richards seven innings and two hits was even more impressive because he did not walk a single batter. Between Hanson and Richards this weekend, we witnessed back to back shut down starts for the first time in 2013. With Weav on the DL, it was refreshing to see two guys step up and stop the bleeding.
With the Angels going for their first sweep of the season Sunday, the Laker game seemed irrelevant to Angel fans who enjoy the NBA. CJ Wilson had another average start with four walks, but the fifth inning was the 3rd time through the lineup and Prince hit a towering shot after Cabrera struck out. CJ did bounce back in the 6th which was good to see. The Angels had more chances to score in the 3rd inning, but you can't complain when they score three. They put the ball in play and made the defense make plays. Staying out of the air and not striking out were two big positives that came out of that inning.
Frieri scares me, but don't most closers? In a tie game in the 9th, Frieri loads the bases. With two outs and two strikes on the lefty Victor Martinez, Frieri gets Martinez to fly out on a pop-up to left field and gets out of the jam. It took more than 30 pitches in the inning, but the game remained tied. However, Angels could not figure out Tigers relief pitcher Al Alburquerque, who struck out five out of six batters with 20 pitches in the 8th and 9th. Trout leadoff with a single in the bottom of the 10th off Joaquin Benoit, then stole 2nd with Pujols up. Pujols popped up, then Hamilton struck out swinging, bringing up Mark Trumbo with two outs and Trout still on 2nd. Trumbo was intentionally walked to bring up Howie Kendrick. (That shows you the respect Hamilton has not earned yet this year.) Howie couldn't put the ball in play and the game continued into multiple extra innings. Then in the bottom of the 13th, Trumbo launched a ball deep over the left field wall to give the Angels the win and the sweep of the Tigers.
Obviously this is the best series the Angels have played this year. Starting pitching was strong, bullpen looked good, and the offense put up 21 runs and hit well with RISP. The Texas Rangers come to the Big A next, and the Angels should be hungary for a little revenge, especially Josh Hamilton. All eyes will be on Hamilton, and I hope this is the series that Josh gets hot. He's really the only man in the lineup who hasn't gotten up to speed. He has had plenty of chances to cash in and give the Angels big innings. What a pick-me-up it would be for the whole team to have him join the party.
My player of the Detroit series is Peter Bourjos who had seven hits in the three games and has established himself as the new leadoff hitter with Aybar out, moving Trout to the two-hole, right in front of Pujols. Bourjos went 3-4 both Friday and Saturday night in the Angels routes of the Tigers. Bourjos can bunt as good as anybody, and will do it multiple times if the situation presents itself. Trout looks as though weight has been lifted off his shoulders hitting second. With his ability to hit the ball to right field, Borjous should be at 3rd more times than not when Pujols comes up. Although Trout's bat is coming around, I would still like him to take advantage of bunting situations. In the 7th inning Sunday with the game tied 3-3, Luis Jimenez got hit to leadoff the inning. Bourjos laid down a sacrafice bunt, but was able to beat it out for a hit. With runners on first and second, no outs, and Price Fielder playing back behind Bourjos at first, Trout had a great opportunity to show his small ball skills and speed. Worst case senario would've been a sacrafice, Pujols' intentional walk would've loaded the bases, and Hamilton's lineout to center would've scored a run. Its not taking the bat out of Trouts hands, but instead using his baseball IQ and abilities. Trout grounded into a double play and the Angels did not score.
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