Angels obliterate White Sox 12-8 & Mike Trout is the best player in the universe

Angels 12 White Sox 8

Man, am I happy that the Angels have a day off tomorrow. Sure, it gives players some much-needed rest, but I think us fans would be wise to use tomorrow’s time away from the Big A to just sit and savor tonight’s win. The Halos absolutely obliterated the White Sox 12-5, unleashing their biggest run total since July of last season. All the pieces aligned just right, and they came to play, too, displaying a team at peak performance; this was Billy Eppler’s vision come to life.

Matt Shoemaker went into the seventh inning, eventually going 6.1 IP/ 9 H/ 4 R/ 3 ER/ 1 BB/ 9 K in the box score, and coming away from this outing with a much-deserved W. How about those nine strikeouts, though? That’s the most Ks he’s had since July 2016, and we’re definitely seeing a ramp up in command and guile in each subsequent Cobbler starts now; that means SHOEMAKER PRIME is right around the corner, if not already here.

Mike Trout did it again. Mike Trout hit another home run, the man has some serious ice in his veins, and some serious muscle with a touch of space-time-warping wizard. Tonight’s blizzy was a huge three run affair that put the Angels up 8-4, marking the fifth time in six games this titan among us has gone yard. He is a god, let’s just admit it already, and move on.

That homer was part of a HUGE, sensational bottom of the sixth, where the Halos tacked on four runs. Going into that side, they were tied up with the White Sox at 4-4, getting those early runs in the second via Ben Revere triple, Martin Maldonado fielder’s choice and an Albert Pujols single. Everything was breaking for the Angels early on, and when the clutch moments arrived, guys like Pujols were up to the challenge.

Shoemaker was dealing this evening, looking not only dominant, but pretty economical in his pitch count. He gave up the obligatory homer (Jose Abreu in the first, two-run HR), but it’s pretty much in every Angels’ pitchers’ contract that they give up at least one dinger per game, so what can ya do? They put two more on the board in the second, but once things tied up 4-4 and we got to the sixth, the real game started.

So, in that sixth, besides that epic, make-you-cry bomb from Trout, the Angels had taken the lead back thanks to a Martin Maldonado RBI single. Maldonado had a good night, but in that single, he drove home Danny Espinosa, who also had himself a big night, going 2-3 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI. So, when our adrenaline levels began to settle down, we saw that Maldonado and Trout had turned the 4-4 tie into an 8-4 butt whoopin’.

That respite from adrenaline was brief, because in the bottom of the seventh, we were treated to yet another Halo Blitz. C.J. Cron, Danny Espinosa and Martin Maldonado (yep, Maldonado had a 3 RBI night) all hit consecutive singles, all of which scored runs. The beatdown was on, the Angels were going to be the ones dishing out the punishment tonight.

Cameron Maybin added his own hit, which drove in Espinosa, and that capped off that crazy two-inning scoring bonanza. Maybin, by the way, had a three-hit game, on the heels of a five hit game last night. Espinosa is heating up; Maybin is on fire; Maldonado is on fire; Trout is a god; Pujols is clutch; Revere has wheels; and Mike Trout IS A GOD.

12 runs. The Angels put a dozen on Chicago, getting their fourth win in a row, and sweeping the series. They did let the White Sox come back a bit in the ninth, eventually getting to 12-8, but the grave had been dug for the White Sox and they weren’t getting out of it.

This is your 2017 Angels team when the planets are aligned, and they have nothing but winning in their eyes. Oh, and they have Mike Trout. The momentum is building to a frenzy; this squad gaining steam and headed to destroy some AL opponents. Let’s have some fun.