Jason Vargas Holds Dodgers Down in Angels Win

Final Score in Anaheim: Angels 3 Dodgers 2

Howie Kendrick scored all three runs and Jason Vargas struck out six in seven innings pitched as the Angels squeaked by the Dodgers 3-2 in Anaheim.

In fifteen At-Bats by their 1-4 hitters (Erick Aybar, Mike Trout, Albert Pujols and Mark Trumbo) the Angels were 1 for 15.

In his first start for the Angels and his first career appearance as a Designated Hitter, Chris Nelson got the winning hit, a bouncer off of the glove of Dodgers starter Ted Lilly to score Kendrick who had wisely stolen 3B on the previous pitch.

Vargas dominated, but you wouldn't have known that was going to be the case when Dodger leadoff batter Carl Crawford tripled before most visiting Dodger fans were entering the parking lot. Crawford scored and then came up in the second inning with the bases loaded (see what happens when the pitcher does not bat - weird, huh, more scoring opportunities) and flew out to LF. Vargas settled down and save for a Ramon Hernandez solo HR he was just fine.

Garrett Richards pitched a scoreless eighth and Ernesto Frieri got a Save without allowing a man past 1B. Whew!!! Light the Halo tonight and bring on the Astros!