On the day that Jered Weaver and Howie Kendrick were named to the All Star Game, Ervin Santana pitched like a Hall of Famer. That Old Abe Magic pitched 7.2 innings of 1-run ball. He struck out 8 Frank McCourt employees. He gave up 6 hits and 1 walk. Who is this guy?
The Angels beat the Dodgers. The Angels won the 2011 Freeway Series four games to two. That is not even counting the preseason game where Scott Kazmir wiped the dugout Gatorade backwash floors with them.
Of the two games the Angels lost to the Dodgers this year, they actually won one but, allowed to make five outs in an inning instead of three, the Dodgers made the most of blown umpiring calls and took a game last weekend at their stadium in Echo Park. They legitimately won a game in Anaheim this weekend. But the Angels prevailed on Saturday and Sunday for their sixth consecutive series win.
Russel Branyan hit a monster 2-run homer to break a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the 7th inning. It was his first homer as an Angel. Scott Downs tossed one pitch to finish the 8th and Jordan Walden pitched a 1-2-3 9th for his 19th save. The Angels will wake up at home on the 4th of July three games above .500 and tied for first place.