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Clips

(May 13, 2015)

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Today’s Clips Contents FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES (Page 3)

Angels rally to beat Colorado Rockies, 5-2

Albert Pujols gives Angels head start on way to 5-2 win over Rockies

Matt Joyce contributes with the bat in Angels' 5-2 victory

Angels hope Marc Krauss can infuse some offense from the left side FROM THE OC REGISTER (Page 7)

Angels' search for lefty production lands on Marc Krauss

Angels Notes: No rotation shuffling despite off-days

Giavotella continues to deliver in the clutch as Angels pull away from Rockies

On deck: Rockies at Angels, Wednesday, 7 p.m. FROM ANGELS.COM (Page 11)

Angels recall Krauss, designate Mattheus

Bandy, Heaney among top performers in Minors Tuesday

'New and improved' Wilson shining for Angels

Offense erupts in eighth as Angels take the opener

Pujols' wheels -- yes, his wheels -- spark rally

Lyles, Santiago square off in finale of short series FROM FOX SPORTS WEST (Page 17)

'Johnny the Entertainer' delivers again as Angels score late to win FROM THE LA DAILY NEWS (Page 18)

Angels will stick to their rotation, says Mike Scioscia

C.J. Wilson leads Angels past Colorado, 5-2, in pitching-dominated game FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (Page 20)

Pujols keys Angels' 8th-inning rally to 5-2 win over Rockies

Rockies-Angels Preview

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FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

Angels rally to beat Colorado Rockies, 5-2 By Mike DiGiovanna

KEY MOMENT: Albert Pujols snapped an 0-for-13 skid with a single to lead off the eighth inning and got a head start of five or six steps while reliever Rafael Betancourt was in the stretch, stealing second without a throw. David Freese struck out, but Erick Aybar walked, Johnny Giavotella singled to right to score Pujols for a 3-2 lead, and Matt Joyce laced a hit-and-run, two-run double to right-center to make it 5-2.

AT THE PLATE: Kole Calhoun had two doubles and a single to bump his average to .310. The Angels scored twice in the fourth when Aybar singled, took third on Giavotella's single and scored on Joyce's groundout and Carlos Perez lined an RBI single to center. The Rockies, who have lost 10 straight, scored in the third on Troy Tulowitzki's sacrifice fly and in the fourth on doubles by Justin Morneau and Corey Dickerson.

ON THE MOUND: C.J. Wilson allowed two runs and five hits in eight innings, striking out six and walking one, to improve to 2-2 with a 2.63 earned-run average. The left-hander has allowed two runs or less in six of seven starts. Colorado right-hander Kyle Kendrick, who entered with a major league-high 8.73 ERA, held the Angels to two runs and seven hits in seven innings. Angels closer Huston Street struck out two of three in the ninth for his 11th save.

IN THE FIELD: Calhoun raced in from right field and made a full-extension diving catch of Charlie Blackmon's flare for the second out of the fifth. Joyce reached over the wall in foul territory to make a nice catch of Wilin Rosario's fly ball to left in the second.

ON THE FARM: Triple-A Salt Lake catcher Jett Bandy went three for four with two homers against Tacoma on Tuesday and is batting .390 (23 for 59) with four homers in 17 games. Left-hander Andrew Heaney allowed one earned run in seven innings, striking out nine and walking three, to improve to 5-0 with a 3.62 ERA.

ROSTER MOVE: To make room for outfielder/first baseman Marc Krauss, who was called up from triple-A Tuesday, reliever Ryan Mattheus, who threw one scoreless inning since being called up last week, was designated for assignment.

UP NEXT: Left-hander Hector Santiago (2-2, 2.57 ERA) will oppose Colorado right-hander Jordan Lyles (2-3, 4.42 ERA) at Angel Stadium on Wednesday at 7 p.m. On the air: TV — FS West. Radio — 830.

Albert Pujols gives Angels head start on way to 5-2 win over Rockies By Mike DiGiovanna

Albert Pujols, the heavy legged, 35-year-old slugger with a balky left hamstring, got such a good jump on a key eighth-inning stolen base Tuesday night that it looked like he might swipe second base and third, all on the same pitch.

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"Was that a sick jump, or what?" speedy center fielder Mike Trout said after Pujols sparked the Angels’ 5-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies with, of all things, his legs. "That might have been the best jump ever. I counted at least two seconds before the pitcher even went home."

With the score tied, 2-2, Pujols snapped an 0-for-13 skid with a sharp single to left field off reliever Rafael Betancourt to lead off the eighth. David Freese took a strike, swung and missed for strike two, fouled a pitch off and took a ball.

When Betancourt, pitching from the stretch, came to a set position before his next pitch, Pujols took off for second and was three or four steps toward the next base when the right-hander, who never saw Pujols go, threw to the plate.

Pujols stole second without a throw. Freese struck out, but Erick Aybar walked, and Pujols scored on Johnny Giavotella’s single to right-center field, the second baseman’s sixth game-winning RBI of the season, second-most in the American League behind Seattle’s Nelson Cruz.

Matt Joyce capped the three-run rally with a hit-and-run, two-run double to right-center, but it was Pujols who jump-started a victory that extended Colorado’s losing streak to 10 games.

“As much as we’ve been struggling, especially myself, you try to do whatever it takes to take that extra base — it’s a lot easier to score from second than first,” Pujols said. “Whatever I can do to help this club, I do.

“I know a lot of people look at the big things, like home runs, but the little things sometimes win games, like taking an extra base, playing good defense. If, at the end of the night, you’ve helped your team win, that’s what matters to me.”

It was the 99th career stolen base for Pujols, who is one stolen base shy of joining Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Willie Mays as the only players in major league history with at least 500 homers, a .300 career average and 100 stolen bases.

“That would be a great accomplishment,” Pujols said. “I don’t go as much as I used to because of injuries. Maybe I’ll get to 100 and shut it down for the rest of my career. I don’t steal a base just to get a base. I try to do it in key situations where I can help the team win.”

The eighth inning Tuesday night was definitely one of those situations.

“He’s trying to make things happen,” Trout said. “I guess he had something on that pitcher, that he only looked over once or whatever. He’s tried it before. It was pretty impressive. For sure, it sparked us. No one expected that when he got to first base. But it was a big play in the game for us.”

So was Giavotella’s big hit, which is becoming par for the course for the 5-foot-8, 185-pound second baseman who is batting .283 with 13 runs batted in on the season.

“He’s a great little player, he’s exciting,” Pujols said of Giavotella. “He reminds me a lot of David Eckstein, guys who always have that chip on their shoulder, who are having fun, enjoying the game, and before you know it, they’re getting big hits.”

Giavotella said the key to coming up big in big situations is “trying to dial it down even more. The pressure is on the pitcher. I can’t put any pressure on myself. I stick to my approach, which is to get a good pitch to hit, hit line drives up the middle, not try to do too much, stick to my strengths.

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“It does take some experience. I’ve failed many times with runners in scoring position. I’ve learned that the best strategy in those situations is to relax, take a deep breath and trust your talents.”

Matt Joyce contributes with the bat in Angels' 5-2 victory By Mike DiGiovanna

If Matt Joyce is doing what he did consistently for the last seven seasons, which is hit right-handed pitching to the tune of an .800 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, the Angels might not have felt so compelled to summon Marc Krauss from triple A on Tuesday.

But there was Krauss at first base and batting ninth in the Angels' 5-2 win over the Colorado Rockies, the first line of offense for a team in desperate need of production, especially from the left side, while it waits for the trade market to develop.

Krauss hit .183 in April at Salt Lake but went on a tear in his last 10 games, batting .444 (16 for 36) with 13 runs batted in, bringing his 28-game totals to .367 with two home runs and 17 RBIs.

"It's pretty clear, even though it's a small sample, that the balance from the left side and right side is not quite there," Manager Mike Scioscia said. "It's something we're going to try to address."

The Angels began the game ranked 14th in the American League in runs per game (3.69) and average (.228), and last in on-base percentage (.289) and slugging (.347).

They were even worse against right-handed pitchers, batting .222 with the second-lowest OPS (.608) in the majors. They are 6-3 against left-handed starters and 10-14 against right-handers.

Left-handed-hitting leadoff man Kole Calhoun doubled twice and singled once to raise his average to .310 with 18 RBIs. But Joyce, who opened the season in the cleanup spot and was expected to ease the loss of Howie Kendrick and Josh Hamilton, was batting .140 with one home run and seven RBIs.

Joyce's OPS of .397 was the fourth-worst among major league players with at least 75 plate appearances. A career .261 hitter against right-handers before this season, Joyce was hitting .135 (12 for 89) against them before Tuesday.

But Joyce had what he hopes will be a breakout game Tuesday, knocking in one run with a fourth-inning groundout and two with a hit-and-run double to right-center field that capped a three-run eighth inning and pushed his average to .144.

"I know the fans are frustrated, but nobody is more frustrated than me," said Joyce, who was acquired in December from Tampa Bay for reliever Kevin Jepsen. "It's a game, but it's your life, your passion. Every day is a battle. It doesn't get any easier. No one is going to hand you a hit. You just have to out-work it."

Most opponents play Joyce to pull with the second baseman in shallow right field and the shortstop on the second base side of the bag. With pitchers pounding Joyce inside, especially with cut fastballs, "anything I pull is typically an out," Joyce said.

But defensive shifts aren't new to Joyce, who faced the same alignments with the Rays.

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"It's hard to try to change your swing and force something the other way," Joyce said. "There's an adjustment to be made, whether it's getting my foot down a little earlier or letting the ball travel a little deeper.

"In past years, I hit some balls the other way and hit through the shift. As a left-handed pull hitter, the game is becoming more difficult because there aren't as many holes on the right side."

Perhaps the 6-foot-2, 245-pound Krauss, who has 80 home runs in 576 minor league games and can play both corner outfield spots, can help. Much like catcher Carlos Perez, who has quickly earned playing time over struggling incumbent Chris Iannetta, Krauss could seize regular at-bats if he stays hot.

"There is an opportunity, that's the way I'm looking at it," Krauss, 27, said. "But I'm not going to put any extra pressure on myself. It's already tough enough to hit. I can't think, 'How long am I gonna be here?' I just want to have some good at-bats and help the team win, and if you do that, you usually stick around."

Angels hope Marc Krauss can infuse some offense from the left side By Mike DiGiovanna

The Angels need offense, especially from the left side, which is why first baseman/outfielder Marc Krauss was called up from triple-A Salt Lake and inserted into the ninth spot in the lineup for Tuesday night’s game against the Colorado Rockies at Angel Stadium.

Krauss, who was edged out by Efren Navarro for an opening-day roster spot, hit .367 with two home runs, 17 runs batted in and 16 runs in 28 games at Salt Lake but was particularly effective in his last 10 games, batting .444 (16 for 36) with a .556 on-base percentage, .639 slugging percentage and 13 RBIs.

“It’s pretty clear, even though it’s a small sample size, that the balance from the left side and right side is not quite there,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “It’s something we’re going to try to address.”

The Angels entered Tuesday ranked 14th in the American League in runs per game (3.69) and average (.228) and last in OBP (.289) and slugging (.347).

But they have been even worse against right-handed pitchers, batting .222 with a .281 OBP and .327 slugging percentage. They were 6-3 against left-handed starters but 9-14 against right-handers.

Left-handed-hitting leadoff man Kole Calhoun entered Tuesday batting .294 with three homers and 18 RBIs, but left-handed-hitting Matt Joyce, who opened the season in the cleanup spot, was batting .140 with one homer and seven RBIs.

“Marc really swung the bat well in his last 40-50 at-bats at triple-A, he had a good spring and can get on base and work counts,” Scioscia said. “Right now, if we’re looking to set the table for the guys [at the top of the order], he’s a guy who might fit in.”

Krauss, who can play both corner-outfield spots, has 119 games of big-league experience with the Houston Astros in 2013-2014. Much like catcher Carlos Perez, who has quickly earned playing time over struggling incumbent Chris Iannetta, Krauss could seize regular playing time if he stays hot.

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“There is an opportunity — that’s the way I’m looking at it,” Krauss, 27, said. “Every time you’re put in the lineup, it’s an opportunity to do something and to help the team win. … But I’m not going to put any extra pressure on myself.

“It’s already tough enough to hit. I can’t think about that kind of stuff, ‘What’s going to happen in a few days? How long am I gonna be around?’ I just want to have some good at-bats and help the team win, and if you do that, you usually stick around.”

FROM THE OC REGISTER

Angels' search for lefty production lands on Marc Krauss

BY JEFF FLETCHER

ANAHEIM – Marc Krauss is the Angels’ latest hope to balance their lineup. The Angels recalled Krauss from Triple-A on Tuesday and immediately inserted him into the starting lineup – playing first, batting ninth – as they search for production from the left side. “We need offense,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “It’s pretty clear, even though it’s a small sample, the balance of left-hanaded and right-handed isn’t quite there yet.” Going into Tuesday’s game, the Angels ranked 29th in the majors in OPS against right-handed pitchers. They had planned for left-handed hitters Josh Hamilton and Matt Joyce to balance their lineup, but Hamilton is gone and Joyce has struggled. Krauss got the call because of a recent hot streak at Salt Lake City. He hit .444 with a .556 on-base percentage over his last 10 games in the minors. “Marc has really swung the bat well the last 40-50 at-bats down there,” Scioscia said. Krauss was one of the Angels’ hottest hitters in Arizona. He and Efren Navarro were likely in a tight battle for a roster spot, but Krauss suffered back spasms late in the spring that set him back just enough to miss out on a spot on the opening day roster. Then he hit .183 in April in the minors. “It was a struggle early on,” Krauss said. “I felt like I left all my hits in Arizona. It took a while to find my swing, which was frustrating, but it’s good to go through some struggles when you’re down there and figure some things out. The last couple weeks have been clicking pretty good.” Krauss got the start at first base Tuesday because Scioscia wanted Albert Pujols to DH, essentially giving him two consecutive days off his feet, including Monday’s off day. However, Krauss is likely to get most of his action at designated hitter, essentially platooning with C.J. Cron. Krauss can also play left, but he’s not likely do much of that unless the Angels decide to bench Matt Joyce entirely, rather than platoon him.

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A 27-year-old product of Ohio University, Krauss was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks when Angels general manager Jerry Dipoto was there. He previously made the majors with the Houston Astros, hitting .200 in 119 games. The Angels claimed him on waivers this winter.

Angels Notes: No rotation shuffling despite off-days

BY JEFF FLETCHER

ANAHEIM – With two off days this week, the Angels had the opportunity to shuffle their rotation, either to give a break to Matt Shoemaker or to split up their lefties. They are doing neither. Although the Angels were off Monday and will be off again Thursday, they are keeping their starters in the same order. After Hector Santiago pitches Wednesday, Jered Weaver, Matt Shoemaker and Garrett Richards will pitch this weekend in Baltimore. The weekend pitchers will each be pitching on six days rest. The two lefties – C.J. Wilson and Santiago – will still be pitching back-to-back. Weaver and Shoemaker, righties with similar stuff, will also continue to pitch on consecutive days. Since Weaver seemed to right himself with his last outing, Shoemaker is now the starter who is having the roughest stretch. He gave up six runs, on three homers, in his last outing. He has allowed at least three runs in every start, and he’s allowed a league-high 10 homers in 31 1/3 innings. Asked if Shoemaker could have benefitted from getting even more time between starts, Scioscia said he didn’t think Shoemaker needed it. “It’s been pretty evident when he’s hitting his spots with his fastball, even though his velocity was a little down, when he’s hitting his spots he’s effective,” Scioscia said. “His velocity has picked up but his command hasn’t matched it. He’s run into some bats. He’ll rebound. His stuff is there.” ALSO Reliever Ryan Mattheus was designated for assignment to make room for Marc Krauss, who was recalled from Salt Lake City on Tuesday. Mattheus, who pitched one scoreless inning since being called up last week, was out of options. ... Krauss said he could tell a difference from the humidor the team began using this year at Salt Lake City. “The first couple days we were using the balls off the truck from spring training and everyone was crushing them,” Krauss said. “Then we came back (from a trip) and the humidor toned things down.” ... David Freese was hitting .181 righties – one of the reasons for the team’s struggles against right-handed pitchers - until a hot streak over the past week. Going into Tuesday’s game, he had hits in six of his last 11 at-bats against right-handers, which prompted Scioscia to move him into the cleanup spot Tuesday.

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Giavotella continues to deliver in the clutch as Angels pull away from Rockies

BY JEFF FLETCHER

ANAHEIM – Johnny Giavotella’s bat might have cooled off, but his flair for the dramatic hasn’t. Giavotella drove in the tie-breaking run in the eighth inning of the Angels’ 5-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night. Giavotella, who went into the game in a .179 slump over his previous nine games, stroked a one-out single into center to drive in Albert Pujols. Giavotella is now 10 for 18 in “late and close” situations, which are in the seventh inning or later with a margin of no more than one run or with the potential tying run at least on deck. Giavotella also leads the team with seven go-ahead RBI this year. “I try to lock in even more in those situations,” Giavotella said. “The pressure is on the pitcher. I can’t put any pressure on myself. I just try to hit a line drive up the middle and not do too much.” Just after Giavotella snapped the tie, the coldest hitter on the team added some insurance. Matt Joyce, who stepped to the plate with a .135 average, lined a two-run double into right-center. The late rally helped the Angels pull out a game that had followed a disturbing pattern. The Angels have struggled to hit right-handed pitchers all year, proved by their OPS against right-handers being the second worst in the majors. They could have chalked that up to the fact that they had been facing a lot of top flight right-handers – such as Sonny Gray and Felix Hernandez – until they ran into right-hander Kyle Kendrick. Kendrick went into the game with an 8.73 ERA, but the Angels managed just two runs against him in seven innings. On the other side, C.J. Wilson continued his stretch of solid work, giving up two runs in eight innings. It was his third straight outing of at least seven innings, the first time since 2013 he has had a streak like that. One of the runs he allowed came in an inning that began with an infield hit. After he allowed a run on two doubles in the fourth, the Rockies managed only one infield hit against him. Seven starts into the season, Wilson has a 2.63 ERA, a significant improvement from last year’s 4.51 mark. “This is definitely back to the version that we saw pre All-Star break last year and for most of the time C.J. has been with us,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “He is a much better pitcher than we saw in the second half last year. He’s strong. He’s healthy. He’s throwing the ball well.” The reason for Wilson’s good start this year, in its simplest terms, is that he’s throwing strikes.

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Going into Tuesday’s game, Wilson had thrown strikes 62.2 percent of the time, slightly higher than his career average of 60.8 percent. He’d also thrown a strike on the first pitch 59.9 percent of the time, which would be a career high. “There is no doubt he is feeling good with his delivery,” Scioscia said. “He is repeating his pitches. I think he’s using all his pitches. Some counts got away from him, but he was able to come back and get some hitters.”

On deck: Rockies at Angels, Wednesday, 7 p.m.

BY JEFF FLETCHER

Where: Angel Stadium TV: Fox Sports West, 7 p.m. Did you know: The players on the Angels current roster are hitting a combined .325 against the Rockies. THE PITCHERS LHP HECTOR SANTIAGO (2-2, 2.57) Although walks continue to be an issue for Santiago, he has managed to pitch around them so far this year. His 4.6 walks per nine innings is his highest in the three years he’s been a starter. However, his ERA is the lowest. Santiago has held opponents to a .174 average with runners in scoring position. In his last outing, Santiago gave up one hit in 6 1/3 scoreless innings. Vs. Rockies: First game At Angel Stadium: 3-6, 3.67 RHP JORDAN LYLES (2-3, 4.42) The 24-year-old came to the Rockies from the Houston Astros in the Dexter Fowler trade. Lyles has a career 5.05 ERA. It’s actually gone down since he moved to Coors Field, though. He had a 5.35 ERA with the Astros, and 4.35 ERA with the Rockies. He gave up four runs in seven innings of a loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Lyles has allowed lefties to hit .305 this year, compared with .267 for righties. Vs. Angels: 2-1, 5.82 At Angel Stadium: 1-0, 4.50 Loves to face: Albert Pujols, 1 for 6 (.167) Hates to face: Erick Aybar, 3 for 10 (.300)

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FROM ANGELS.COM

Angels recall Krauss, designate Mattheus

By Alden Gonzalez ANAHEIM -- First baseman/outfielder Marc Krauss was called up from Triple-A Salt Lake on Tuesday, mainly because the Angels wanted to return to the traditional four-man bench and because Efren Navarro was sent down too recently to be called back up. But Krauss has also been on a tear, riding a 10-game hitting streak in which he's batted .444. He profiles as the left-handed power hitter this Angels offense so desperately needs. He could get plenty of chances against right-handed pitching at first base, designated hitter or perhaps even left field. He could be here a while. "There is some opportunity," Krauss said. "That's the way I'm looking at it, at least." Krauss' callup meant the Angels had to designate veteran reliever Ryan Mattheus for assignment. Mattheus was called up four days ago, a move that sent Navarro back to Triple-A, because the Angels needed an extra bullpen arm. He can elect free agency even if he clears waivers, so chances are the Angels may have lost Mattheus entirely. If Krauss can give their ailing offense some pop, it might be worth it. Krauss, listed at 6-foot-2 and 245 pounds, has a .478 career slugging percentage in the Minor Leagues, with 80 home runs and a .376 on-base percentage in 576 games. But he hit an underwhelming .197/.277/.336 in 329 plate appearances against righties with the Astros the last two years. The Angels -- with a collective .608 OPS against righties, second-lowest in the Majors -- are hoping some of Krauss' Minor League numbers translate. "We need offense," said Angels manager Mike Scioscia, who started Krauss at first base on Tuesday, batting him ninth, and may also play him against Rockies right-hander Jordan Lyles on Wednesday. "The balance of left-handed and right-handed isn't quite there with us, and it's showing up statistically. It's only a sixth of the season, but it's there. It's something we're going to try to address." Krauss, 27, was selected off waivers in December and looked like the favorite to win the final bench spot coming out of Spring Training. With Josh Hamilton's situation so uncertain, the Angels wanted Krauss' plate discipline and power off the bench. But then he hurt his back, played only sparingly towards the end of March and ultimately lost the job to Navarro, a left-handed bat with less power. "I'm not going to put any extra pressure on myself," said Krauss, who has experience at both corner-outfield spots but has mainly been used at first base this year. "I just want to put up some good at-bats and help the team win. I think if you do that, you can stick around. That's my plan." Worth noting

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• Albert Pujols made his sixth start at DH and fourth since suffering a tight left hamstring on April 29, but Scioscia said Pujols is fine. The Angels just wanted to couple the Monday off-day with another day where Pujols didn't have to play first base. • The Angels will keep their rotation in order, despite having two off days in one week. That means Jered Weaver, Matt Shoemaker and C.J. Wilson will start the weekend series in Baltimore -- in that order. They'll all be on six days' rest. • Several members of the Anaheim Ducks stopped by the Angels clubhouse after their 5-2 win over the Rockies on Tuesday. A few Angels players -- including Mike Trout, Kole Calhoun, David Freese, Garrett Richards, Hector Santiago and Shoemaker -- watched as the Ducks beat the Calgary Flames to advance to the Western Conference Finals on Sunday. • The Angels installed humidors at Triple-A Salt Lake at the start of the season in hopes of making it less of a hitters' park and allowing the organization to get a better gauge of its prospects. And Krauss has noticed the difference. "I would say it's kind of tempered down the offense a little bit," Krauss said. "Even just talking with pitching coach Erik Bennett, who's been in Salt Lake five or six years now, he noticed. He could tell right away that it was a little different coming off the bat. The ball was not carrying as well as it did."

Bandy, Heaney among top performers in Minors Tuesday

By Alex M. Smith The Angels farm system got excellent production from opposite ends of its Top 30 on Tuesday. While No. 1 prospect (No. 25 overall) Andrew Heaney provided a strong seven-inning outing for Triple-A Salt Lake, teammate and No. 30 prospect Jett Bandy was outstanding at the plate.

The catcher continued his recent tear with a 3-for-4 night that included two homers and four RBIs. Bandy has been unstoppable over the past five games, going 11-for-17 with three home runs and 14 RBIs. During this stretch, he's bumped his season line from .293/.302/.390 to .390/.422/.661.

Meanwhile, Heaney continues to impress. The southpaw gave up one earned run to go along with nine strikeouts Tuesday, and pushed his undefeated record to 5-0 with a 3.62 ERA. Traded from the Marlins organization this past winter, the former first-rounder's win total is currently tied for the Triple-A lead with Reds No. 14 prospect Jon Moscot.

'New and improved' Wilson shining for Angels

By Alden Gonzalez ANAHEIM -- The Angels came into this season hoping to get the C.J. Wilson from 2013, but they got someone else entirely.

"The new and improved Version 6," as Wilson put it after leading his team to a 5-2 win on Tuesday night. "This is Version 6 because this is my sixth full season as a Major League starter. I keep evolving, trying to learn."

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And somewhere along the way, Wilson has seemingly learned to master the one skill that has eluded him his entire career: filling up the strike zone.

It's still early, and small sample sizes can be tricky. But Wilson is walking just 2.06 batters per nine innings through his first seven starts, while fashioning a 2.63 ERA and completing at least seven innings four times. His walk rate during his five previous years as a starter was 3.79, sixth-highest in the Majors.

Last year -- Wilson's worst in a Major League rotation -- it was a career-high 4.4.

"I'm just very grateful," Wilson said. "I'm thankful that all the work is paying off, but it's a lot of work. It's not the easiest thing in the world to reverse trends."

Wilson issued just one walk while throwing eight innings of two-run ball against a scuffling Rockies team with an equally scuffling offense. It came in the third, when he just missed on a 2-2 fastball to DJ LeMahieu and then missed way inside on an ensuing full-count pitch.

That was one of just seven baserunners the Rockies had against Wilson all night.

While relying heavily on a changeup that continues to be an important weapon, Wilson scattered five hits, struck out six and retired 12 of his last 14 batters. The 34-year-old has now completed six or more innings while allowing three or fewer runs five times this season, an encouraging start for the veteran left-hander who saw his ERA balloon to an uncharacteristic 4.51 in 2014.

"He's a better pitcher than we saw in the second half of last year," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "We know that."

Wilson threw more bullpen sessions than ever in the winter, not because his arm needed the work, but because he was hyper-focused on fine-tuning the mechanics that he felt would allow him to become a more consistent strike-thrower.

It's early, but Version 6 may have finally found something.

"When you put enough work on one thing, eventually it comes to you," Wilson said. "I've put so much work into my delivery and my pitches over the last couple years, as I've evolved and learned new things and experimented with new things, that it's just starting to pay off. I still feel like I have a lot of life left, mentally and in my pitching, that there's still a lot of different things I'm discovering."

Offense erupts in eighth as Angels take the opener

By Alden Gonzalez ANAHEIM -- C.J. Wilson gave up just two runs in eight innings, and the Angels' offense finally came to life against the Rockies' bullpen, scoring three in the bottom of the eighth to notch a 5-2 victory on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium.

The Rockies have now lost 10 straight games, dropping them to 11-18. The Angels, winners of five of their last seven, are 16-17.

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With one out in the eighth and runners on first and second against reliever Rafael Betancourt, Johnny Giavotella ripped an RBI single to right field to put the Angels on top. Matt Joyce, sporting a .135 batting average, followed with a two-run double to right-center field to extend the lead.

Rockies right-hander Kyle Kendrick entered with an 8.73 ERA, the highest among qualified Major League starters, but he matched Wilson pitch for pitch while holding the Angels to two runs in seven innings.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Showing off the wheels: Albert Pujols snapped an 0-for-13 skid with a leadoff single in the eighth. He then stole his first base of the season, and 99th of his career, with a huge jump off Betancourt, who never even looked at first base. Three batters later, Giavotella ripped a single to give the Angels their first lead.

"That was a big play; heads-up play by him," Giavotella said of Pujols. "He's a veteran in this game; he takes chances when the game calls for it."

Clearly, the workhorse, and in control: Kendrick allowed just two earned runs as he went seven innings for the third time this season. The rest of the Rockies' rotation has combined for one seven-inning outing. He walked none for the third time in seven starts. Kendrick is the only Rockies pitcher with a no-walk start.

"It's always good to keep your team in the game," Kendrick said. "Every game, I want to go out, and go as deep as I can. I got in a groove early, and I kind of stuck with it. Obviously, the main thing is to win. I hope we go out and get a win tomorrow."

Not so fast: With one on, two outs and the top of the Rockies' order up, Wilson picked off second baseman D.J. LeMahieu, ending the seventh and keeping the Angels' starter at 100 pitches. Wilson then pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning, dropping his ERA to 2.63. He's gone at least six innings and given up two runs or fewer in five of his seven starts.

Giving him double trouble: Coming into the game, left-handed batters were hitting just .167 (7-for-42) with two doubles against Wilson. In the Rockies' half of the fourth inning, Justin Morneau, a lefty, doubled to left with one out. Two batters later, lefty Corey Dickerson doubled to right to score Morneau, and put the Rockies up, 2-0.

"I thought that was a good sign," manager Walt Weiss said. "I know Wilson is tough on left-handed hitters, but we're a fairly left-handed offensive club. So, we ran our guys out there, anyway. We'll still mix and match at times."

QUOTABLE

"'Johnny the Entertainer.' That's what we're calling him. He waits until the fans are really into it. Rally Monkey, big situation, winning run on base -- something like that. He's got a great approach." -- Wilson on Giavotella, who continues to come through in clutch situations

"[Mike Trout] is an extremely dynamic player, very physical. The power and speed he brings to the game, you don't see that often. You see it once in a while." -- Rockies manager Walt Weiss on the Angels' center fielder, who he compared favorably to his former A's teammate, Jose Canseco

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

May 13, 2015 Page 15 of 22

Giavotella's eighth-inning single gave the Angels' second baseman six game-winning RBIs, one of which came in walk-off fashion. The only American League player with more is Mariners slugger Nelson Cruz, with seven. Giavotella is now 10-for-18 in what Baseball-Reference deems "late-and-close" situations.

DEFENSIVE GEMS

Angels corner outfielders Matt Joyce and Kole Calhoun each turned in a highlight-reel play on Wednesday. Joyce caught Wilin Rosario's fly ball despite banging into the fence in left-field foul territory and Calhoun dove full extension in shallow right field to rob Charlie Blackmon of a hit in the fifth.

WHAT'S NEXT

Rockies: Right-hander Jordan Lyles will try to improve his road fortunes Wednesday night as the Rockies conclude their two-game series against the Angels. Lyles is 1-2 with a 6.35 ERA in three starts away from Coors Field -- 2-3, 4.42 overall. Game time is 8:05 p.m. MT.

Angels: Lefty Hector Santiago opposes Lyles in hopes of continuing a strong start to his second season with the Angels. Santiago threw 6 1/3 one-hit innings on Thursday, shutting the Astros out despite walking four batters. He's given up three runs or fewer in five of his six starts, putting his ERA at 2.57.

Pujols' wheels -- yes, his wheels -- spark rally

By Alden Gonzalez ANAHEIM -- Sometimes, when your offense is starving for runs and desperate for a spark, you do crazy things.

If you're Albert Pujols, you steal bases.

The Angels -- scoring more runs per game than just three other teams in the Major Leagues -- scored just twice in the first seven innings against Rockies starter Kyle Kendrick, who entered Tuesday's game with the highest ERA in baseball. Then Pujols singled to start the eighth against Rafael Betancourt, snapping his own 0-for-13 skid.

And then, he took off.

"Making things happen," Angels center fielder Mike Trout said after the Angels' eventual 5-2 win. "No one expected that when he got on first base."

Especially not Betancourt, who didn't even bother to look in Pujols' direction. With the count at 1-2, the 35-year-old first baseman with a litany of injuries in his lower half got a huge jump that didn't even prompt a throw. He picked up his first stolen base of 2015, and -- more importantly -- put the go-ahead run in scoring position.

"I've got the green light all the time," Pujols said. "I go whenever I feel like it, so if I know that I'm going to make it, I go. ... As much as we've been struggling, especially myself, you try to do whatever it takes to take that extra base."

Three batters later, Pujols scored the eventual winning run on an RBI single from Johnny Giavotella. Immediately after that, Matt Joyce followed with a two-run double to give the Angels a cushion.

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Pujols has stolen only 23 bases since the start of 2011. But he's an instinctual runner who isn't afraid to take risks late in games. And as he pointed out, quite proudly, he did manage to steal 16 bases twice, with the Cardinals in 2005 and '09.

Now, Pujols is one stolen base away from 100.

"Maybe I'll get 100 and shut it down for the rest of my career," Pujols said, smiling. "That's what I tell everybody. But I don't steal a base just to try to get a base. I try to pick key situations where I can help my ballclub win."

Lyles, Santiago square off in finale of short series

By Alden Gonzalez ANAHEIM -- Right-hander Jordan Lyles of the Rockies and left-hander Hector Santiago of the Angels will be the starting pitchers Wednesday night at Angel Stadium, as the teams complete their two-game Interleague series.

Lyles (2-3, 4.42) has faced the Angels four times before, three of them starts, all while pitching for the Astros. He defeated them in Anaheim on June 2, 2013, allowing two earned runs and striking out five in 5 2/3 innings. In his career against the Angels, he's 2-1 with a 5.82 ERA.

Lyles has lost his past two starts, both against Arizona, and the Rockies have dropped 10 straight overall.

Santiago (2-2, 2.57), who will be making his initial appearance against Colorado, has given up three runs or fewer in five of his six starts in 2015. He is coming off 6 1/3 shutout innings against the Astros last Thursday, when he gave up one hit but also four walks.

Things to know about this game

• The Angels have won their past six games against the Rockies and have swept them four times (1998, 2000, '01 and '12) since the inception of Interleague Play in 1997. In their 29 meetings all-time, the Halos have won 21, including 15 of the last 19.

• The Angels have the best Interleague record in baseball since 2007, at 97-55.

• Lefties have historically done pretty well against Lyles throughout his career (with an .818 OPS, compared with a .749 mark for righties). So there's a good chance all of the Angels' left-handed hitters -- Kole Calhoun, Matt Joyce and Marc Krauss -- will be back in the lineup Wednesday.

May 13, 2015 Page 17 of 22

FROM FOX SPORTS WEST

'Johnny the Entertainer' delivers again as Angels score late to win By Rashaun Haylock Most times it’s best to sit back and wait for an opportunity to present itself.

On Tuesday night against the Colorado Rockies, the opportunity, once again, presented itself for Angels second baseman Johnny Giavotella. And, once again, he delivered.

Giavotella was at the plate in the bottom of the eighth inning with two on and one out and the game tied 2-2, and drove in the go-ahead run on an RBI single to right field to score Albert Pujols in the Angels 5-2 win.

His late game heroics have developed a nickname inside the Angels clubhouse.

"He's Johnny the Entertainer," pitcher C.J. Wilson said. "He waits until the fans are really, really into it, like the rally monkey, big situation, winning run on base, something like that (to perform and) ...Johnny the Entertainer, definitely, delivered tonight."

His timing couldn't be better. As a result of driving in the go-ahead run Tuesday, Giavotella now has six game-winning RBI on the season, which is second in the American League, trailing only Nelson Cruz of the Seattle Mariners, who has seven game-winners.

In the most pressure packed situations, the Angels' second baseman feels no pressure at all.

"The pressure is on the pitcher in those situations," he said. "I try to get a good pitch to hit and not try to do too much and stick to my strengths. I think it does take some experience (to come through in these situations). I failed many times with guys in scoring position so I've learned the best strategy in those situations is just relax, take a deep breath, and trust in your talents."

Giavotella's heroics were made possible by his teammates getting on base in front of him, including Pujols, who led off the inning with a single.

Then, to the surprise of everyone at Angel Stadium, Pujols got himself into scoring position by swiping second base. A collective gasp followed by overwhelming cheers could be heard throughout the stadium as Pujols got a huge jump and, one stomp after the other, took second without a throw, catching everyone off guard.

For Pujols, it was the 99th stolen base of his career. He's one shy of joining Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Willie Mays as players with at least a .300 average, 500 home runs, and 100 stolen bases.

Reaching 100 steals will be a "great accomplishment," the future Hall-of-Fame inductee.

"(I'll) get 100 (stolen bases) and shut it down for the rest of my career," he joked. "The best thing is about the key situation that I have done it. I don't steal a base just to try to get a base. I try to pick key situation where it can help my ball club to win."

On Tuesday, Pujols was able to find the key situation that set the table for Giavotella to do what he's done all season --“ Entertain.

May 13, 2015 Page 18 of 22

FROM THE LA DAILY NEWS

Angels will stick to their rotation, says Mike Scioscia By Phil Collin ANAHEIM >> It might make sense to have left-handed starters not make consecutive starts in a pitching rotation, but Angels manager Mike Scioscia isn’t going to change his plans.

That means C.J. Wilson and Hector Santiago continue to go back-to-back for the Angels even though a rare week of two off days afforded them the chance to realign their rotation.

“You’d like to split them up but (what’s) more important right now ‑ one is making sure our guys rebound properly and also secondly is you’re more concerned with trying to get your length (of starts) spread out,” Scioscia said. “I think we’re doing a much better job of that.

“If we get our length spread out, that’ll go a long way to help our bullpen. I think that’s more important right now than to worry about two lefties boxed together. If everybody’s throwing the ball well that’s not going to be an issue.”

After Wednesday’s homestand-ending game with Colorado, the Angels embark on a 10-game Eastern swing. Against the Baltimore Orioles over the weekend, Jered Weaver opens on Friday, followed by Matt Shoemaker and Garrett Richards.

In the meantime, Scioscia said that although rest is the key factor for the pitching staff, they’ll still get their work in with the days off.

“I don’t think we want to keep any of these guys too far from pitching right now,” Scioscia said. “As a matter of fact, I think the off days are going to be more advantageous to our bullpen.”

CALL FOR KRAUSS

Looking for some more pop from the left side of the plate, the Angels selected the contract of utility player Marc Krauss from triple-A Salt Lake.

Krauss, who was in the lineup at first base Tuesday, was batting .281 with two home runs, three triples and 17 RBIs in the minors.

“Mark had really swung the bat well his last 40-50 at-bats down at triple-A,” Scioscia said. “He had a great spring for us until he hurt his back later in the spring.

“He’s swinging it well, he can get on base, he can work counts and I think right now in our llineup if we’re looking to set the table for guys coming around, he’s a guy that might fit in.”

To make room on the roster, the Angels designated reliver Ryan Mattheus for assignment.

FREESE IN CLEANUP SPOT

Matt Joyce’s stint as the Angels’ cleanup hitter ended Tuesday when David Freese moved up to the spot.

“Against righties, he hasn’t really hit stride but he’s gotten some big hits, some RBIs for us,” scioscia said of Freese. “And util that left-handed bat emerges behind Albert (Pujols), we’ll have to mix and match.”

May 13, 2015 Page 19 of 22

C.J. Wilson leads Angels past Colorado, 5-2, in pitching-dominated game By Phil Collin C.J. Wilson added another strong start for the Angels Tuesday.

Because, of course, he basically had to with an offense that continues to try to find its way.

Wilson went eight innings, matching his season best, and the better-late-than-never Angels offense broke through in the eighth inning of a 5-2 win over Colorado at Angel Stadium.

A rare stolen base by Albert Pujols set the stage for the Angels’ three-run eighth, which was highlighted by Matt Joyce’s two-run double.

Johnny Giavotella’s run-scoring single had driven in Pujols from second to break a 2-2 tie. It was his sixth game-winning RBI of the season.

“Johnny the Entertainer, that’s what we’re calling him,” Wilson said. “He waits until the fans are really into it, the Rally Monkey, big situation, something like that. He’s got a great approach.”

Pujols opened the inning with a single off reliever Rafael Betancourt and surprised everyone in the stadium by taking off before Betancourt started his delivery. It was his first stolen base since August of last season.

“No one in the ballpark expected it, that’s for sure,” Mike Trout said. “Once I saw him take off, your first reaction is like, ‘Oh, he’s out.’ It was a big play in the game for sure. It was fun to watch. ... You never know what Albert’s going to do.”

Pujols did.

“I’ve got the green light all the time, so if I know I’m going to make it, I go,” Pujols said. “Whatever I can do to help this club. I know a lot of people just focus on the bigger things, which is homer and get some base hits, but the little things sometimes wins the game.”

It was the Angels’ fifth win in their last seven games. They face Colorado again Wednesday before leaving on a 10-game trip to the East Coast.

Wilson (2-2) picked up his first win since his first start of the season at Seattle. He gave up only five hits and struck out six.

“It’s been rough for me. I haven’t won a game since the first game of the year,” Wilson said. “When you’re driving home and you feel like you pitched well but you don’t win games and stuff, tonight will be a little happier drive home.”

Huston Street pitched a perfect ninth to pick up his 11th save.

The Rockies, who lost their 10th consecutive game, scratched for a run off Wilson in the third inning when Nick Hundley led off with a single and took second on a walk to No. 9 batter DJ LeMahieu. The runners advanced on a groundout and Hundley scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Troy Tulowitzki.

Colorado made it 2-0 in the fourth when Wilson gave up doubles to left-handed hitters Justin Morneau and Corey Dickerson.

May 13, 2015 Page 20 of 22

The Angels tied it in the bottom of the fourth. With one out Erick Aybar singled to left and went to third on Giavotella’s single to center. Aybar scored on Matt Joyce’s grounder to second, then Carlos Perez lashed a single to center that brought Giavotella home.

But the offense was again a source of frustration for the Angels. Leadoff batter Kole Calhoun had a single and two doubles but was stranded each time. Aybar had a one-out double in the second inning but was left at second.

Evan Kendrick went seven innings for Colorado, giving up seven hits with five strikeouts and no walks.

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Pujols keys Angels' 8th-inning rally to 5-2 win over Rockies ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Rafael Betancourt wasn't even in his windup when Albert Pujols surprised every soul in Angel Stadium by taking off for second, stealing his first base of the season by a mile. With Los Angeles' burly slugger running wild on the basepaths, the Angels' latest comeback win was no surprise in comparison. Pujols stole second base and scored the tiebreaking run on Johnny Giavotella's single in the eighth inning, and the Angels sent the Colorado Rockies to their 10th consecutive defeat, 5-2 Tuesday night. Pujols snapped his 0-for-13 skid with an eighth-inning leadoff single against Betancourt (0-1). He then got an enormous jump on the Rockies reliever, who clearly hadn't even thought about holding Pujols close. So what got into Pujols, who hadn't stolen a base since Aug. 15? "I've got the green light all the time, so I go whenever I feel like it," Pujols said. "If I know that I'm going to make it, I go. That's it. ... In that opportunity, (the way) we've been struggling, you try to do whatever it takes to get that extra base. I felt that I could score easier from second base than first base." After Pujols scored on Giavotella's single, Los Angeles' entire dugout was buzzing. The stolen base was the 99th of Pujols' 2,148-game career. "Nobody expected that from the big fella," Mike Trout said. "That was a big play in that game for us. You never know what Albert is going to do." After Giavotella came up with his sixth game-winning RBI of his first season with Los Angeles, Matt Joyce then drove in two more runs with a hit-and-run double to center for the Angels, who have won five of seven. Joyce's hit snapped his 0-for-12 slump and gave him his first three-RBI game with his new team. "We weren't getting too many good looks early at the plate, but the eighth inning was fun," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. C.J. Wilson (2-2) pitched eight innings of five-hit ball for the Angels, striking out six and walking one to end his five start winless streak. Huston Street pitched the ninth for his 11th save.

May 13, 2015 Page 21 of 22

Corey Dickerson had an RBI double for the Rockies, who have lost 16 of 20 since their 7-2 start. Colorado blew an early 2-0 lead and then lost when Pujols sparked the Angels' rally. "Typically, Albert's not a base stealer, so Raffy wasn't paying a lot of attention to him over there," Colorado manager Walt Weiss said. "Albert timed him up and guessed right and took off." Kyle Kendrick began the night with baseball's highest ERA after yielding 32 runs in his previous 26 innings, but the right-hander pitched seven innings of seven-hit ball. "I got in a groove early and stuck with it," Kendrick said. "I wanted to establish my sinker and changeup early and work off of that. I really wanted to just focus on pitching down, because when I've gotten hit, everything was up." Wilson was even better in one of his most consistent starts of the season, yielding just one hit in his final four innings. Kole Calhoun had two doubles among his three hits and also made a spectacular diving catch on Charlie Blackmon's sinking flare in the fifth inning. Trout went 0 for 3. NEW GUY Marc Krauss made his Angels debut, going 0 for 3 and playing first base. Los Angeles hopes he'll provide a left-hitting option in their righty-heavy lineup. TRAINER'S ROOM Rockies: RHP LaTroy Hawkins pitched in early batting practice, facing hitters for the first time since going on the disabled list with biceps tendinitis. Angels: Krauss played first base because Scioscia wanted to rest Pujols' legs for a second straight day. ... Scioscia won't alter his rotation with two days off this week, which means RHP Matt Shoemaker will take his regular turn in the rotation this weekend in Baltimore. Shoemaker has yielded 10 homers already this season. UP NEXT Rockies: Jordan Lyles (2-3, 4.42 ERA) has lost his last two starts, both against Arizona. Angels: Hector Santiago (2-2, 2.57 ERA) wraps up Los Angeles' nine-game homestand with his seventh start of a solid season.

Rockies-Angels Preview

Poor pitching has the Colorado Rockies on the verge of their longest losing streak in 15 years, and giving the ball to Jordan Lyles again doesn't seem to be a solution.

Lyles looks to avoid losing a third straight start Wednesday night when the Rockies try to split this two-game set with the Los Angeles Angels.

May 13, 2015 Page 22 of 22

Colorado's 5.48 ERA is the worst in the majors, and the staff has an 8.63 mark while losing 10 games in a row for the first time since 2005. The Rockies (11-18) last dropped 11 straight from July 4-17, 2000, and that's two shy of the franchise record set as an expansion team in 1993.

Rafael Betancourt provided no relief on the mound Tuesday, giving up three runs while getting just two outs in the eighth of a 5-2 defeat at Los Angeles.

Lyles (2-3, 4.42 ERA) has lost both of his starts during Colorado's current losing streak, giving up 11 runs and 17 hits with six walks in 12 innings. The right-hander was victimized by a big inning last Wednesday, surrendering three of the four runs he allowed in the fifth before completing seven in a 5-1 loss to Arizona.

"When in doubt, throw the fastball," Lyles said of his approach. "I had a couple of quick innings to start the game, then we had some trouble in the fifth."

Lyles is 2-1 with a 5.82 ERA in four games -- three starts -- against the Angels, and that all came two years ago with Houston. He won both of his interleague starts last year, yielding three runs in 14 2/3 innings.

Nick Hundley is batting .409 during a career-high 13-game hitting streak after getting an infield single Tuesday. The catcher has a .342 season average, 99 points higher than last year when he played 83 games between San Diego and Baltimore.

The Rockies have lost six straight meetings with the Angels (16-17), who have pounded their pitchers to the tune of a .308 batting average and 7.8 runs per game

Los Angeles collected 10 hits with four doubles Tuesday, and Kole Calhoun had two of them among his three hits. The right fielder is 10 for 28 (.357) with four doubles in seven games.

Albert Pujols is looking to build on his clutch performance from Tuesday. He snapped out of an 0-for-13 skid with a leadoff single in the eighth before unexpectedly stealing second and scoring the go-ahead run on Johnny Giavotella's single.

"I've got the green light all the time, so I go whenever I feel like it," said Pujols, who hadn't stole a base since Aug. 15. "If I know that I'm going to make it, I go. That's it. ... In that opportunity, (the way) we've been struggling, you try to do whatever it takes to get that extra base. I felt that I could score easier from second base than first base."

The Angels are turning to Hector Santiago (2-2, 2.57), who is 1-0 with a 1.02 ERA over his last three home starts.

The only hit the left-hander gave up Thursday was a leadoff single, and he overcame four walks and two balks to toss 6 1/3 scoreless innings. However, closer Huston Street wasted the effort by giving up three runs in the ninth of a 3-2 home loss to Houston.

Santiago is facing the Rockies for the first time, and he's 1-2 with a 3.29 ERA in seven interleague starts.