Wednesday Halolinks: Sean Burnett out again, but Angels still roll

Yesterday was a special day as Texas, Oakland, and Seattle all lost (Houston won, but who cares), leaving the Angels just 1.5 games behind Oakland and 3.5 ahead of the Rangers.  Here are some news-worthy tidbits from yesterday's Angels' notes:

At 28-22, Angels have a five-win improvement after 50 games from a season ago (23-27), largest increase in AL…Club was 23-28 after 51 G in 2013.

During the Angels current 12-5 run, the starters have fashioned a 2.72 ERA (115.2 IP – 35 ER) while holding opponents to a .206 batting average against (86/418).

Angels 25-man roster currently features 11 homegrown player

Angels rank 3rd in MLB with 4.9 runs per game and fourth in AL with 242 runs scored…Halos rank 2nd in MLB with 36 first inning runs…Halos’ +42 run differential ranks third in AL.

And now some Halolinks (today's linkage is a little light due to the fact that I'm chaperoning my daughter's second grade class's field trip this morning. Sorry)...

• Scioscia's interesting lineup produces some interesting results: Bottom of order leads Angels over Mariners - Yahoo Sports.  "Second baseman Howie Kendrick, center fielder Mike Trout and first baseman Albert Pujols -- the 1-2-3 hitters in the Los Angeles order -- went a combined 1-for-13, but the bottom six hitters went 10-for-26 while accounting for four of the team's five RBIs."
• An ace can win even when he doesn't have his ace "stuff": Los Angeles Angels at Seattle Mariners - May 27, 2014 - MLB.com.  "Weaver entered with a 1.70 ERA in his previous seven starts, then scattered seven hits, walked three batters and threw only 63 of his 102 pitches for strikes. It was the Angels' 13th win in the last 18 games, giving them a 21-12 record that's the second-best in the Majors since April 21."
• This is a complete bummer: Burnett suffers another setback - angels.com.  "Angels reliever Sean Burnett, three outings into his return from a nine-month rehabilitation, was removed from Tuesday's game because of discomfort in his surgically repaired left elbow and will be evaluated in Southern California on Wednesday."
• Uh-oh.  Hopefully Wilson brings his "A game": Angels-Mariners Preview - Yahoo Sports.  "Felix Hernandez is 2-1 with a 1.88 ERA in his last four starts against the Angels (29-22) and has totaled 31 strikeouts in his past three. C.J. Wilson (6-3, 3.00), though, enters this start having given up one run and nine hits over 15 1-3 innings in back-to-back wins. The left-hander allowed that lone run over his 6 1-3 innings Friday in a 6-1 win over Kansas City."
• Trout leads All-Star voting, but Home Run Derby unlikely - The Orange County Register.  "Trout had 764,007 votes, topping all players, in totals released Tuesday. Last year, Trout finished fourth in the American League. “It feels good to get all the support from my fans,” Trout said. “It feels good to be up at the top. To be No. 1 is something special, for sure.”
• Jared Remy, son of Boston Red Sox broadcaster Jerry Remy, pleads guilty to murder - ESPN Boston.  "The son of longtime Boston Red Sox broadcaster Jerry Remy pleaded guilty Tuesday to first-degree murder for fatally stabbing his girlfriend last year while the couple's 4-year-old daughter screamed and three neighbors tried to stop him. Jared Remy, 35, was sentenced to mandatory life in prison without parole for killing Jennifer Martel, 27."