Garrett Richards Quality Start Defeats Dodgers

Final Score in Anaheim: Angels 5, Dodgers 3

So you might notice that Scott Downs got the Win in Sunday afternoon's conclusion of the Freeway Series. He came in with two outs and a man on in the seventh inning with the score tied, got an out and was the pitcher of record when the Angels broke a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the inning.

But it was a gutsy performance by Garrett Richards that should garner the acclaim on a hot day with terrible umpiring, Mike Scioscia's 33rd career managerial ejection and of all things, a Peter Bourjos homerun to keep the Angels even with a Dodger squad who again scored in the first inning. Richards scattered 9 hits, benefited from 2 Double Plays, walked 2 and struck out 5.

Down 2-0 in the bottom of the second with one out and Erick Aybar on 1B, Bourjos hit what looked to be a run-scoring double down the chalk line - but, incorrectly ruled foul, the knife was twisted with a Homerun. It was the centerfielder's second round-tripper of the season and the first over the fence - the other was an inside the park homerun. Reverse psychology umpiring like that caused Scioscia to roar out of the dugout on an Albert Pujols basepath blunder (slow mo showed him out by a frayed high thread on the inseam cut of the calf of his pants). Big Mike got tossed and Rob Picciolo, the heir to the throne of Ron Roenicke, took the Halo helm for the final few innings.

Ernesto Frieri relieved Downs with two gone in the bottom of the eighth inning to give Scott one complete inning worked in the game. Mister Freeze allowed a hit in the bottom of the ninth but struck out Dee Gordon to end the game and record his ninth save as an Angel.

And with interleague baseball now complete, the Angels took the Freeway Series from the Dodgers 4 games to 2 with their second victory of the weekend in Anaheim after taking two at Chavez Ravine earlier this month.