Halos Heaven - September 13: Angels 5, Rockies 3Angels news and analysishttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50595/hh-fav.png2020-09-14T05:24:00-07:00http://www.halosheaven.com/rss/stream/211995722020-09-14T05:24:00-07:002020-09-14T05:24:00-07:00Pujols on tying Mays: ‘It’s something you dream about’
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<img alt="MLB: SEP 13 Angels at Rockies" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Y7MGNQbjJSw8CO30oVX6Gn2dyjU=/0x0:4964x3309/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67402095/1228500777.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>One legend on reaching another with 660 home runs</p> <p id="6q4aeA">In case you missed it on Sunday, <span>Albert Pujols</span> reached another milestone in his glorious career. His go-ahead home run in the eighth inning not only gave the <a href="https://www.halosheaven.com/">Angels</a> a win in Colorado, but <a href="https://www.halosheaven.com/2020/9/13/21360285/albert-pujols-willie-mays-all-time-home-run-list">tied Pujols with inner-circle Hall of Famer and baseball royalty Willie Mays with 660 home runs</a>.</p>
<p id="AjA46Y">Pujols is no longer what he once was as a player, but his career as a whole is still one of the best in baseball history. Like Mays, Pujols will be an easy first-ballot Hall of Famer five years after he retires.</p>
<p id="CjwZJ8">“It was almost like a walk-off reaction, when he hit it. Everybody was thrilled for him,” manager Joe Maddon said after Sunday’s game. “You’re just happy for the moment <em>for him</em>.”</p>
<p id="FPwn0E">Pujols at the moment ranks:</p>
<ul>
<li id="v20eKX">third all-time in RBI (2,097)</li>
<li id="1QCZpI">tied for fifth in home runs (660)</li>
<li id="fK7G9l">fifth in doubles (669)</li>
<li id="E7Yo7k">fifth in total bases (5,911)</li>
</ul>
<p id="WuS9NL">Pujols savored his place in history on Sunday. From <a href="https://www.latimes.com/sports/angels/story/2020-09-13/albert-pujols-660th-home-run-ties-willie-mays-on-all-time-list">Mike DiGiovanna at the Los Angeles Times</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p id="vUYvoW"><em>“Legend,” Pujols said, when asked what Mays means to him. “It’s something you dream about. … it’s amazing to have my name in the same sentence as Willie Mays. It’s just unbelievable, really humbling. It’s something I’m gonna tell my kids, my grandkids.”</em></p></blockquote>
<p id="t3VNst">Pujols received encouragement from Mays recently, <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheathletic.com%2F2064121%2F2020%2F09%2F13%2Fi-know-my-place-in-history-albert-pujols-ties-willie-mays-with-no-660%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.halosheaven.com%2F2020%2F9%2F14%2F21435670%2Falbert-pujols-660-home-runs-reaction" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">per Fabian Ardaya at The Athletic</a>:</p>
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<p id="o4chpw"><em>Pujols reached the brink of this historic moment with an Aug. 4 home run that skied into the left-field bullpens at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park for home run No. 659. More than a week later, the Angels were set to face the </em><a href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/"><em>Giants</em></a><em> in San Francisco when Pujols received a text. It was from Mays.</em></p>
<p id="W1quTm"><em>“It’s your time now,” the message read. “Go get it.”</em></p>
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<p id="iQw9RT">Pujols went six weeks in between home runs 659 and 660, <a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2020/09/13/albert-pujols-equals-willie-mays-on-all-time-hr-list-helps-angels-to-victory/">per Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register</a>:</p>
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<p id="ALH97J"><em>While he had struggled to get the homer to equal Mays, Pujols had nonetheless hit .253 during the drought.</em></p>
<p id="hiMarM"><em>“If I would have been thinking about it, I would have been hitting a bunch of ground balls and striking out,” Pujols said. “I am just trying to put a good swing on the ball. I knew it was going to happen. It was just a matter of time.”</em></p>
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https://www.halosheaven.com/2020/9/14/21435670/albert-pujols-660-home-runs-reactionEric Stephen2020-09-13T16:41:58-07:002020-09-13T16:41:58-07:00Albert Pujols ties Willie Mays for 5th on the all-time HR list
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<img alt="MLB: Los Angeles Angels at Colorado Rockies" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/NXYB5FXG91rMAifpu7T5do0EDwI=/0x0:3028x2019/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67400050/usa_today_14928089.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>660 career home runs for the future Hall of Famer</p> <p id="hK0qqr">Only four players in major league history have hit more home runs than <span>Albert Pujols</span>. The <a href="https://www.halosheaven.com/">Angels</a> first baseman hit the 660th homer of his career on Sunday against the <a href="https://www.purplerow.com">Rockies</a>, tying Willie Mays for fifth on the all-time list.</p>
<p id="0zIeV0">The milestone home run for Pujols, who started at designated hitter on Sunday, came in the eighth inning against <span>Carlos Estévez</span>, a two-run shot that turned a one-run deficit into an Angels advantage.</p>
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<p lang="und" dir="ltr">6️⃣6️⃣0️⃣!!! <a href="https://t.co/O31nUhiqWu">pic.twitter.com/O31nUhiqWu</a></p>— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) <a href="https://twitter.com/Angels/status/1305259195810291712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2020</a>
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<p id="uO2PaM">“For him personally and his family, that’s pretty special, because Willie Mays is one of the best of all-time, and Albert is going to be spoken about in those same terms,” manager Joe Maddon said in a postgame conference call.</p>
<p id="ac6kAu">Pujols has four home runs in 31 games this season, hitting .239/.294/.410. The home run on Sunday was Pujols’ first since Aug. 4, snapping a span of 22 games and 93 plate appearances without.</p>
<p id="kupILr">Estévez is one of 426 pitchers Pujols had homered against in his career, trailing only <span>Barry Bonds</span>, who homered against 449 different pitchers, per ESPN Stats & Info. It was the 487th homer for Pujols against a right-handed pitcher in his career.</p>
<p id="tr9Tfh">Pujols has 215 of his 660 homers with the Angels, fifth all-time in Angels history and seven home runs behind Brian Downing for fourth place.</p>
<p id="5Fwl6r">Of the six players who’ve hit 660 home runs in the majors, only Mays was older at the time they reached the milestone. Mays was 42 years, 103 days old when he hit his 660th homer, in 1973. Pujols is 40 years, 241 days old.</p>
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<p id="PtOmdg">In addition to tied for fifth on the all-time home run list, Pujols is third in RBI (2,097), fifth in total bases (5,911; 65 from fourth), and fifth in doubles (669; having just passed <span>Craig Biggio</span> on Saturday).</p>
https://www.halosheaven.com/2020/9/13/21360285/albert-pujols-willie-mays-all-time-home-run-listEric Stephen2020-09-13T15:19:13-07:002020-09-13T15:19:13-07:00Late Angels offense backs Heaney to beat Rockies
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<img alt="Los Angeles Angels v Colorado Rockies" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ev3BYmujbi2g7l23ELahDVE6jho=/0x0:5464x3643/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67400149/1228498291.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Albert Pujols’ game-winner tied Willie Mays on the all-time HR list</p> <p id="Lpz5Ob"><span>Andrew Heaney</span> provided a third solid start in three tries for the <a href="https://www.halosheaven.com/">Angels</a> this weekend at Coors Field, and <span>Albert Pujols</span> made history with a game-winning home run on Sunday to beat the <a href="https://www.purplerow.com">Rockies</a>, 5-3.</p>
<p id="uAiMXZ">Down a run in the eighth inning, Pujols hit a two-run shot off <span>Carlos Estévez</span> to give the Angels the lead, and <a href="https://www.halosheaven.com/2020/9/13/21360285/albert-pujols-willie-mays-all-time-home-run-list">tied Willie Mays for fifth all-time with 660 career home runs</a>.</p>
<p id="aIrIDP">That made a winner out of Heaney, who struck out eight and walked none in his seven innings, the third time in his last four starts he’s lasted at least seven. Colorado got to him with three extra-base hits — a solo home run by <span>Matt Kemp</span> in the second inning, and RBI doubles by <span>Kevin Pillar</span> and <span>Charlie Blackmon</span> in the third.</p>
<p id="otGfew">Angels starting pitchers in the offensive eden in Denver had a 4.00 ERA, but more importantly totaled 18 innings, the club’s most in any three-game series in 2020.</p>
<p id="MeG45I">The Angels’ <a href="https://www.halosheaven.com/2020/9/13/21435080/angels-right-handed-lineup-albert-pujols-no-shohti-ohtani-ryan-castellani">nearly all-right-handed lineup</a> didn’t far so well against <a href="https://www.purplerow.com/">Rockies</a> right-hander <span>Ryan Castellani</span>, though not for lack of opportunities. Castellani walked six batters and hit <span>Anthony Rendon</span> with a pitch, but the Angels managed just one measly single against him.</p>
<p id="v6IhtQ">Castellani’s only run allowed was scored on a passed ball. In fact, that second inning made history:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Today's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Angels?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Angels</a> 2nd inning:<br>Walk<br>Walk<br>Strikeout<br>Walk<br>Passed ball (run scores)<br>Strikeout<br>Strikeout<br><br>Per <a href="https://twitter.com/EliasSports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EliasSports</a>, this was the first inning in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Angels?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Angels</a> history where a run scored without hitting a ball in play.</p>— Matt Birch (@MattBirch12) <a href="https://twitter.com/MattBirch12/status/1305266941884395520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2020</a>
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<p id="BmbpNo">Starting pitching was effective all weekend for both teams, with Rockies starters posting a 1.93 ERA in 18⅔ innings.</p>
<p id="AOBXDL">But the Angels’ two wins over the weekend came against the Rockies bullpen, scoring three in the 11th inning on Saturday, and four runs in the final three innings on Sunday.</p>
<aside id="DmgsI5"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Albert Pujols ties Willie Mays for 5th on the all-time HR list","url":"https://www.halosheaven.com/2020/9/13/21360285/albert-pujols-willie-mays-all-time-home-run-list"}]}'></div></aside><h3 id="g363df">Sunday particulars</h3>
<p id="9gnqH6"><strong>Home runs</strong>: <span>Albert Pujols</span> (4); <span>Matt Kemp</span> (6)</p>
<p id="7W20xd"><strong>WP — </strong><span><strong>Andrew Heaney</strong></span><strong> (4-3)</strong>: 7 IP, 8 hits, 3 runs, 8 strikeouts</p>
<p id="qci3bA"><strong>LP — Carlos Estévez (1-3)</strong>: ⅔ IP, 1 hit, 2 runs, 1 walk</p>
<p id="SIAsQe"><strong>Sv — </strong><span><strong>Matt Andriese</strong></span><strong> (2)</strong>: 2 IP, 4 strikeouts</p>
<h3 id="8tLCTc">Up next </h3>
<p id="J3PUl7">The Angels are off Monday but then begin their final homestand of the season, facing the <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> for three games. <span>Julio Teheran</span> starts the opener (6:40 p.m.; Fox Sports West, FS1, MLB Network) for the Angels, with <span>Madison Bumgarner</span> starting for the Diamondbacks.</p>
https://www.halosheaven.com/2020/9/13/21435317/andrew-heaney-albert-pujols-angels-recapEric Stephen2020-09-13T11:18:06-07:002020-09-13T11:18:06-07:00Angels go nearly all-right against Rockies RHP
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<img alt="Los Angeles Angels v Colorado Rockies" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/GFJ5wNT6qEDBZg1k9aO9epOsq2E=/0x0:4437x2958/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67399209/1228482407.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Albert Pujols starts at DH over Shohei Ohtani Sunday</p> <p id="uWFOfu">The <a href="https://www.halosheaven.com/">Angels</a> try for a series win on Sunday afternoon, with <span>Andrew Heaney</span> on the mound against the <a href="https://www.purplerow.com">Rockies</a> at Coors Field.</p>
<p id="1ylAD5">They also have a lineup stacked with nearly all right-handed hitters, save for first baseman <span>Jared Walsh</span>, who has homered in his last four games. That’s against right-handed pitcher <span>Ryan Castellani</span> for Colorado, who in the smallest of sample sizes has reverse splits so far in his rookie season, at least with the results:</p>
<ul>
<li id="hAZTaB">Righties are hitting .304/.361/.625 in 61 plate appearances against Castellani</li>
<li id="XYbaCC">Lefties are hitting .200/.333/.520 in 60 PA</li>
</ul>
<div class="c-float-right"><div id="PQgxy3"><div data-anthem-component="table:9428805"></div></div></div>
<p id="PFggb9">But Castellani only has an 11.7-percent strikeout rate against lefties, compared to 19.7 percent against righties. Based on <a href="https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/statcast_search?hfPT=&hfAB=&hfBBT=&hfPR=&hfZ=&stadium=&hfBBL=&hfNewZones=&hfGT=R%7C&hfC=&hfSea=2020%7C&hfSit=&player_type=pitcher&hfOuts=&opponent=&pitcher_throws=&batter_stands=L&hfSA=&game_date_gt=&game_date_lt=&hfInfield=&team=&position=&hfOutfield=&hfRO=&home_road=&hfFlag=&hfPull=&pitchers_lookup[]=624418&metric_1=&hfInn=&min_pitches=0&min_results=0&group_by=name&sort_col=xslg&player_event_sort=api_h_launch_speed&sort_order=desc&min_pas=0&chk_stats_abs=on&chk_stats_hits=on&chk_stats_xba=on&chk_stats_xslg=on#results">batted ball data per Baseball Savant</a>, lefties have an expected batting average of .283 and an expected slugging percentage of .519 against Castellani this season.</p>
<p id="9rlhCg">Still, a slumping <span>Shohei Ohtani</span> sits for a second straight day, without an extra-base hit in his last 44 plate appearances.</p>
<p id="yeqQiX">“He’s fine. He’s been working really hard. I just wanted to play <span>Albert [Pujols]</span> again,” manager Joe Maddon said on a conference call Sunday. “[Ohtani’s] going to get back out there, but for today I liked how this lineup stacked up.”</p>
<p id="gsUQHt">Pujols was 2-for-5 with a double in Saturday’s win, his second straight game with a double. He passed Craig Biggio for fifth all-time with 669 career doubles.</p>
<p id="D6dAt5"><a href="https://www.purplerow.com/">Rockies</a> third baseman <span>Nolan Arenado</span> is out of Sunday’s lineup, dealing with a sore shoulder <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2020/09/13/rockies-nolan-arenado-dealing-with-sore-left-shoulder-not-in-sunday-lineup-lineup/">per Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post</a>.</p>
<h3 id="rgbRMQ">Game info</h3>
<p id="HlM3eP">Time: 12:10 p.m. PT</p>
<p id="kWHelO">TV: Fox Sports West</p>
https://www.halosheaven.com/2020/9/13/21435080/angels-right-handed-lineup-albert-pujols-no-shohti-ohtani-ryan-castellaniEric Stephen2020-09-11T05:08:00-07:002020-09-11T05:08:00-07:00Angels head to Coors Field
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<img alt="Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim v Colorado Rockies" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/YRUxc_iyveQTHXsmKx_PtPuA5_U=/0x0:4989x3326/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67388420/958029846.jpg.0.jpg" />
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<p>The Angels road trip concludes this weekend in Denver</p> <p id="p6IDK0">The <a href="https://www.halosheaven.com/">Angels</a> have only won three of 15 series this season, but this weekend they head to a place where they’ve never lost a series. Three games against the <a href="https://www.purplerow.com">Rockies</a> begin Friday night at Coors Field, where the Angels historically have enjoyed uncommon interleague success.</p>
<p id="1BxWM5">The Angels are <a href="https://stathead.com/sharing/k8b2F">12-3 all-time at Coors Field</a>, including winning nine of their 10 games played in this century. </p>
<p id="7Miqq7">Colorado enters the weekend just outside of playoff position at 20-23, currently the ninth seed when eight teams make the postseason. But the <a href="https://www.purplerow.com/">Rockies</a> started this season 11-3 and are 9-20 since, including a sweep at the hands of the <a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> this week.</p>
<p id="X8m5pG">Here are the pitching matchups and schedule for this weekend’s series.</p>
<h3 id="FFoHw0">Friday, 5:40 p.m. PT (Fox Sports West)</h3>
<p id="feENqc"><span>Griffin Canning</span> has failed to complete five innings in five of his last six starts, and opposing batters are slugging .487 against him this season. <span>German Marquez</span> starts for the Rockies, and has a 7.03 FIP in four starts at Coors Field this year, though 10 runs came in one start, on August 20 against Houston.</p>
<h3 id="CQQlwm">Saturday, 5:10 p.m. (Fox Sports West)</h3>
<p id="w6drdF">The last game the Angels played in Denver, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/COL/COL201805090.shtml">on May 9, 2018</a>, they shut out the Rockies, 8-0. <span>Jaime Barria</span>, making just his fourth major league start, struck out seven and pitched into the sixth for the win. On Saturday, Barria makes his 42nd career start. The right-hander has a 3.38 ERA and 3.87 FIP with 17 strikeouts in 18⅔ innings this season.</p>
<p id="bZQ1OM">Denver native <span>Kyle Freeland</span> has seven quality starts in nine tries this season, including three out of five at Coors Field.</p>
<h3 id="BoGQ2d">Sunday, 12:10 p.m. (Fox Sports West)</h3>
<p id="kqi3Bf"><span>Andrew Heaney</span> enters the weekend with a 4.04 ERA and 2.93 FIP in nine starts, the <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=pit&lg=all&qual=y&type=1&season=2020&month=0&season1=2020&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&startdate=2020-01-01&enddate=2020-12-31&sort=19,d">third-highest gap between ERA and FIP in the majors</a>. In two career starts at Coors Field, one in 2015 and another in 2018, he allowed a total of four runs in 13⅓ innings.</p>
<p id="joDLSP">Rookie right-hander <span>Ryan Castellani</span> has a 5.34 ERA and 7.50 FIP in his seven games for the Rockies, including six starts. Among the 178 pitchers with at least 20 innings, Castellani’s <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=pit&lg=all&qual=20&type=1&season=2020&month=0&season1=2020&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&startdate=2020-01-01&enddate=2020-12-31&sort=19,a">ERA-FIP (-2.17) ranks 172nd</a>.</p>
https://www.halosheaven.com/2020/9/11/21431202/angels-rockies-series-preview-coors-field-pitching-matchupsEric Stephen