Nailbiter in Chicago is Angels Win for Ervin Santana

by Rev Halofan on May 20, 2010 8:46 PM PDT in Angels Postgame

Final Score in Chicago: Angels 6, White Sox 5 ... Ervin Santana pitched a great game and watched helpless as his bullpen almost blew it. After a rough 8th inning that saw the Pale Hose bat around and score 4 runs off of Kevin Jepsen and Fernando Rodney, gascan Brian Fuentes pitched a 1-2-3 9th inning.

Santana struck out 6 and allowed 1 unearned run in 7 innings pitched. The difference in the game turned out to be a monster 2-Run Juan Rivera HR in the 6th inning. Torii Hunter failed to hit a HR in his 4th straight game but he did get a deep double, a walk and score twice in the game.

For Angels fans ready to anoint Jepsen and Rodney as the closer over Fuentes... well... lets just say the argument was weakened severely as the two of them allowed all the runs in that 4-run 8th after two outs had been recorded and the bases were empty. In fact, Angels nemesis A.J. Pierzynski hit a Ground Rule Double that saved the Angels game as it would have scored Juan Pierre from 1B had it not left the field of play on a bounce.

Roll Call after the poll...

Roll Call: DAD OF VLAD, TheKingfish, sothball, LAASurfin, red floyd, BigBangRobbDawgg, 44FAN, Fred Fredrix, firebird81, ~MMP~, ryanfea, halofolife, Slyintine, angelsfan7, Carl Johnson, UCIHalo, MH252525, Figgi4life, Rev Halofan, chikmagnet_565, desecrator09, Ed@northridge, ihearhowie2.0, kbrown2225, salmonforever, jr714, Suboptimal, bc56274, Anaheim71420, phoenix15, The Limey, aldo H, yeswecan, blast21dave, raskul, angelfan1954, Quinlan's Goofy Swing, HoustonHaloFan, joeyz34, stuck in Romania, halofan1, hauldog, eyespy, RexTookMyStash, muddybox, pendletonmike, SCHalo, ladybug, UK Halo, clover_black, moosemastr, Halowood, Showtime!, K3YEROUT, angelskid2210, Downing Rules, b0rd3rline, HalosBiggestFan, Commander_Nate, Dono Romantico, scottnak, angels_rally_mom, LazorkoRules, teopeht, jtkelly86
Total Users: 65
Total Posts: 965
Total Threads: 2

Poll

Panther of the Game

Brian Fuentes

44 votes

Ervin Santana

224 votes

Juan Rivera

27 votes

Kendry Morales

19 votes

314 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 35 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

Great to see Santana pitching like his All-Star self!

K-MO!!!!

by Wally's World on May 20, 2010 8:48 PM PDT reply actions

Santana

But I voted for Fuentes ’cuz, like, when you gonna get to do that again?

"That's the true harbinger of spring, not crocuses or swallows returning to Capistrano, but the sound of a bat on a ball." ~Bill Veeck

by LAASurfin on May 20, 2010 8:59 PM PDT reply actions

I'm gonna point out......

This team has won 5 of it’s last 7 games and two of it’s last 3 series.

by firebird81 on May 20, 2010 9:04 PM PDT reply actions

point taken

by Anaheim71420 on May 20, 2010 9:09 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions

and winning 2 in a row right now on the road

was crucial to stop the road game bleeding.
Now let’s kick some National League butt!

by Raaddad on May 20, 2010 9:10 PM PDT up reply actions

It does stink that the two losses were against the Rangers

But you take what you can get, and right now I certainly take 5/7 games against anyone.

by AlanFalcon on May 20, 2010 9:34 PM PDT up reply actions

PotG: Fuentes. BotG: Jepsen and Rodney.

The win expectancy graph does not properly reflect the hyper-emotions Angel fans were feeling during that bottom of the 8th inning.

After the-piece-of-shit-who-shall-not-be-named hit that ground-rule double, the White Sox win expectancy was only at 34% but it sure felt like 100%.

Tip of the Hat

Fuentes; because losing that game would have really sucked
Voodoo
JR for hitting a HR into a strong wind

Wag of the Finger

Jepsen and Rodney for that 8th inning fiasco

Tonight belongs to you and the Village People.

by Fan Since 1981 on May 20, 2010 9:08 PM PDT reply actions

This sums it up nicely.

by AlanFalcon on May 20, 2010 9:34 PM PDT up reply actions

Well Said

JR definitely the POTG bcuz that wind was blowing against the ball. Can you imagine what a rocket that’d be if no wind was present?

Vicious

by maze88 on May 20, 2010 9:43 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions

nice summary

I’m liking the incorporation of fangraphs. You should do one for every game.

I took your stash.

by blochead on May 20, 2010 11:37 PM PDT up reply actions

agreed

good concise game breakdown, and I like the humorous subtitles.
But besides “tip of the hat” and “wag of the finger,” how about “wake up smack in the head”

by Raaddad on May 21, 2010 12:21 AM PDT up reply actions

I still believe in Jepsen

His BABIP is stupid high (unlike Rodney’s, which is stupid low). He had to battle an inconsistent strike zone, and Quentin and Beckham both hit pitches that were right on the edge of the plate. The only mistake I saw was one slider left over the plate for Ramirez. Meanwhile, Fuentes is still throwing slow-moving souvenirs to the fans behind the backstop and Rodney couldn’t find a strike zone if you gave him printed directions.

by Suboptimal on May 20, 2010 9:50 PM PDT reply actions

The most important moment

might have been that ball that went over the wall for a ground rule double that prevented the tying run from scoring.

by ryanfea on May 20, 2010 9:57 PM PDT reply actions

That really was an unlucky break for the White Sox

I’ve never been a fan of that rule, but I am at least for tonight.

by Suboptimal on May 20, 2010 11:52 PM PDT up reply actions

This pen is unbelievable

Fuentes is lights out and PsyKo and Rockin Rodney struggle;
Go figure!

by Raaddad on May 20, 2010 10:01 PM PDT reply actions

for everyone who is pointing out rodneys struggles

look at the stats…when hes not the closer hes awful and when he is the closer he is lights out…this isnt anything new

R.I.P. #34
R.I.P. JJ
"This is America, if we can’t self-righteously look down on others and blame them for our faults, the commies win."-----Cormican on Aug 13, 2009 7:28 PM PDT

by sctrojan13 on May 20, 2010 10:18 PM PDT reply actions

Well it just points out that he's not a good pitcher.

He can do well if he starts the ninth with a clean slate, but can’t be counted on to come in the game mid inning to stop a threat – which should be the most important job of any reliever.

by snowhor on May 21, 2010 12:01 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions

I disagree.

I think it points out that he is one of those guys who focus better under pressure. I think all signs point to that.

by firebird81 on May 21, 2010 7:53 AM PDT up reply actions

Then he should be nails coming in to a runners on pressure situation in the 7th or 8th

by Epic Dean on May 21, 2010 8:19 AM PDT up reply actions

I'm not seeing it?

Splits……… G…… IP…. ER…. ERA…. PA…. R…. H…. BABIP
8th inning… 10…. 8.1….. 1….. 1.08…. 35…. 3….. 6…. .261
9th inning…. 9…… 9…… 4….. 4.00…. 36…. 4….. 5… .174

"That's the true harbinger of spring, not crocuses or swallows returning to Capistrano, but the sound of a bat on a ball." ~Bill Veeck

by LAASurfin on May 21, 2010 9:53 AM PDT up reply actions

I had to vote Fuentes

For being Nailtes for once.

by linkbruin on May 20, 2010 10:20 PM PDT reply actions

I thought the 1 run on Santa Ana was unearned?

God needed a starter. RIP #34

by 3rd Echelon on May 20, 2010 10:34 PM PDT reply actions

LA Angels IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Santana, E(W, 3-3) 7.0 7 1 0 3 6 0 3.75

God needed a starter. RIP #34

by 3rd Echelon on May 20, 2010 10:38 PM PDT up reply actions

thanks for catching that!

by Rev Halofan on May 20, 2010 11:15 PM PDT up reply actions

How could you miss Frandsen throwing a ball into RF....

that guy is worse than Wood.

red colors and jaded pasts...

by BryanHarvey'sMoustache on May 20, 2010 11:24 PM PDT up reply actions

LOL @ panther votes going to the mustachioed failuentes

for not fucking up for once in his life, and throwing the high HEAT of 91 MPH to get some fly outs.

S O L I D.

Anyone one of those dopey pitches could have tied up the game Redirect all votes to Santana and his weird beard.

What do you need a fancy suit for, Charlie, you ain't got no job to wear it to.

by clover_black on May 20, 2010 11:38 PM PDT reply actions

Panther goes to Carlos Quentin

for ending the game on a flyout to center.

"Just another Halo victory" - Rory Markas

by Slyintine on May 21, 2010 12:04 AM PDT reply actions

+1

Angels baseball. We do what we must, because we can -- HaloDutch

by red floyd on May 21, 2010 9:17 AM PDT up reply actions

I don't care what anyone says

I can’t believe that the Mariners are already 8.5 games back.
(And Texas is under .600. )
But I forgot—Milton is back!!!
NOW they’re going to kick some butt.

by Raaddad on May 21, 2010 12:43 AM PDT reply actions

Fun Facts

Mariners’ record after 41 games:

2008: 15-26
2010: 15-26

source

Tonight belongs to you and the Village People.

by Fan Since 1981 on May 21, 2010 7:46 AM PDT up reply actions

POTG = Santana

I’m kinda starting to get justa little thrilled, sorta, about our starting pitching. Hopefully, I will be totally stoked within a couple of weeks.

Angel Pitching, Angel Defense - get past that.

by vladtheimpaler on May 21, 2010 1:19 AM PDT reply actions

Good use of Brandon Wood, until -

they put him in…

by Halopauly on May 21, 2010 5:45 AM PDT reply actions

Actually got to watch

It was nice actually being able to watch the Angels on TV on CSN. They are finally using a real logo, and not some weird old stretched logo. Granted, it’s the old navy blue background behind the red A, but it’s still progress.

Good game, staye dup to make sure we snuck out of Chicago with two wins. Voodoo was great, and it was nice to see the Angels acutally HIT the ball. Frandsen was hosed, but that tag on the stretched single should have been safe, so I figure it’s more or less even.

Really noticed The Umpire’s Bias last night on 3-0 counts. Some low and outside pitches managed to make it 3-1, for both teams.

R.I.P. Nick Adenhart - Always an Angel

by Kernel on May 21, 2010 7:28 AM PDT reply actions