WWIII: Angels Win 3rd Game In 3rd City In 3 Days

Final Score in Arlington: Angels 9 Rangers

This ball game was really tight until the eighth inning. It was 2-1 after five innings when Hector Santiago was pulled in favor of Jason Grilli to start the sixth inning. Suddenly it was a little dicey in the imagination of the fan as instead of the bullpen being Grilli to Jepsen it was Grillli to Fernando Salas. Kevin Jepsen came into the game any way after all those runs were scored leaving everyone to winder if Joe Smith or Huston Street are not available. At this time of year everyone is aching but some aches are more worrisome than others. Manager Scioscia later reveled that Street had a tight hamstring and theat the team was hoping to keep him out of the game for precautionary rest.

Scioscia also clarified after the game that taking Santiago out was simply a righty/lefty match up lining up to start the sixth inning. Hector was fine in his five innings - save for an Adrian Beltre solo home run. He allowed five hits and one walk, striking out two (the same guy - Guilder Rodriguez - twice. Guilder was making his major league debut after 1,095 games in the minors.) Santiago won the game, his fifth game of the season.

When the game was close the offense came from Kole Calhoun leading off the whole affair with a solo home run in the top of the first inning - his third leadoff HR of the season, two on the road and one at home. Starting DH Brennan Boesch hit a sac fly in the top of the fourth to score David Freese. Starter Colby Lewis had surrendered a double in and out of the glove of RF Michael Choice out by the GULF sign - and eerie reminder of the curse the Rangers have near that oil advertisement ever since the 2011 World Series.

With the score 2-1, Left Fielder Collin Cowgill started the 8th inning off with an infield single, scored on a Mike Trout Triple and then tripled the loaded bases clean later in the inning. On a night where every Angels starter had a run scored, hit or run batted in he was the standout, puttinghte game away early. Some late bullpen chaos forced Joe Smith to loosen up but Mike Morin got out of a jam of his own creating in the ninth to LIGHT UP THE HALO.