The Sports Xchange
MLB Team Report – Los Angeles Angels – INSIDE PITCH
The Angels’ poor hitting of late is shining a spotlight on the other little things that are going wrong. They keep losing because of one bad pitch or one bloop hit or one call by an umpire.
Their 3-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night was their 14th one-run loss of the season, tied for the major-league lead.
Manager Mike Scioscia doesn’t see that as bad luck. It’s bad hitting. The Angels shouldn’t be leaving so much up to chance.
“If you are not doing things at a high enough level on the field,” Scioscia said, “then those things will have the opportunity to take the game away from you. And it did tonight.”
In their latest loss, the Angels were tied 1-1 in the seventh when the Orioles mounted a rally with three straight infield hits. Nick Markakis then drove in two runs with a solid single, and that was enough to sink the Angels on a night they managed just two at-bats with runners in scoring position.
“We didn’t do enough things offensively to pressure them,” Scioscia said. “Jason (Vargas) pitched with his back against the wall the entire game.”
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MLB Team Report – Los Angeles Angels – NOTES, QUOTES
RECORD: 27-38
STREAK: Lost four
PAST 10 GAMES: 2-8
NEXT: Angels (Jerome Williams, 4-2, 2.87) at Orioles (Jason Hammel, 7-4, 5.18)
PLAYER NOTES:
–RHP Robert Coello was placed on the 15-day disabled list with inflammation in his right shoulder. He had been pitching with some discomfort for a little over a week. Coello was expected to undergo further tests to determine the severity of the injury once the Angels return to Anaheim later this week.
–RHP Dane De La Rosa was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake City. He had been optioned to Salt Lake City on June 8. In 27 appearances with the Angels this season, he is 1-1 with a blown save and a 4.05 ERA.
–RHP Jerome Williams will make his seventh start in Wednesday afternoon’s matinee finale. He’s got a 3-1 record against the Orioles and got the win in his only game at Camden Yards — on June 13, 2004.
–RHP Jason Vargas took the loss Tuesday and saw his five-game winning streak end. He gave up three runs on seven hits against the Orioles and didn’t get offensive support as the Angels fell 3-2.
–LF Mike Trout homered for the second straight game Tuesday night. His home run on Monday snapped a drought of 71 at-bats, but he didn’t take long to hit another.
–CF Peter Bourjos robbed Baltimore’s J.J. Hardy of a home run with a spectacular leaping catch in the first inning. Bourjos jumped and got his arm over the fence in center and grabbed what would have been a two-run homer.
–LHP Sean Burnett (elbow impingement) will not throw a baseball until mid-July. Burnett was two weeks into his second stint on the disabled list when he went to see Dr. James Andrews because his elbow wasn’t responding. Andrews suggested the shutdown.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “We didn’t do enough things offensively to pressure them. Jason (Vargas) pitched with his back against the wall the entire game.” — Manager Mike Scioscia, after his team lost 3-2 to Baltimore on Tuesday.
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MLB Team Report – Los Angeles Angels – ROSTER REPORT
MEDICAL WATCH:
–RHP Robert Coello (shoulder inflammation) was placed on the disabled list on June 11. He had been pitching with some discomfort for a little over a week. Coello was expected to undergo further tests to determine the severity of the injury once the Angels return to Anaheim later this week.
–LHP Sean Burnett (left elbow impingement) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 27. Burnett came off the disabled list May 21 after sitting out 22 games with left forearm irritation. He started playing catch June 2, but his elbow was not responding so he went to see Dr. James Andrews, who recommended he shut it down until mid-July.
–RHP Ryan Madson (Tommy John surgery in April 2012) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 22. He threw a simulated game April 19 and was sent to rehab in Arizona in late April. He had scar tissue removed from his elbow in late April. He threw a bullpen session May 4, and he pitched in an intrasquad game at extended spring training May 9. He began a rehab assignment with Class A Inland Empire on May 13, but he hasn’t pitched since that day. He experienced soreness in his elbow May 22, scrapping plans for him to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Salt Lake.
–LHP Andrew Taylor (torn left labrum) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 22, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on April 9. He is not expected to need surgery.
ROTATION:
LHP C.J. Wilson
RHP Joe Blanton
LHP Jason Vargas
RHP Jered Weaver
RHP Tommy Hanson
BULLPEN:
RHP Ernesto Frieri (closer)
RHP Garrett Richards
LHP Scott Downs
RHP Jerome Williams
RHP Michael Kohn
RHP Dane De La Rosa
RHP Kevin Jepsen
CATCHERS:
Chris Iannetta
Hank Conger
INFIELDERS:
1B Albert Pujols
2B Howie Kendrick
SS Erick Aybar
3B Alberto Callaspo
DH Mark Trumbo
INF Brendan Harris
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Mike Trout
CF Peter Bourjos
RF Josh Hamilton
OF J.B. Shuck
OF Brad Hawpe
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