For a while now, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have been a thorn in the side of the New York Yankees. We all remember the early playoff exits in 2002 and 2005 and we were elated when the Yankees finally beat them in 2009 to advance to the World Series. So even though it’s always seemed like the Yanks have had trouble beating team, they haven’t lately, especially at home. In fact, the Angels are now 5-15 in the regular season at the new Stadium.
I know, right?
, who has been stepping in for the injured , may not have had a quality start this time around but he still lasted five innings, scattered five hits, gave up three runs, walked five and struck out four. He did give up two quick runs in the first after giving up a bases loaded, two-run single to and after a wild pitch, got to fly out to center to limit the damage.
The Yankees were able to tie the score in the bottom half of the first off Angels starter on a two-run home run by which extended his hitting streak to 17 games – he is batting .391 with five doubles, six home runs and 19 runs batted in during the streak.
, who is not a home run hitter, hit his 24th home run of the year in the bottom of the third, putting the Yankees on top for good.
The Angels got to within a run in the top of the fourth but Garcia and the bullpen shut them down for the remainder of the game. , and combined to pitch four scoreless innings – only giving up two hits and struck out four.
Soriano picked up his 22nd save of the season with a 1-2-3 inning which was capped off by a check swing strikeout of Albert Pujols to end the game.
Some notes:
- A-Rod stole his 10th base of the season and now has 14 seasons of 10 or more stolen bases – he also finished 2-4 on the day with a double.
- From Elias: is first opposing player age 20 or younger to have 3+ hits and a stolen base at Yankee Stadium
- Also from Elias: Freddy Garcia improves to 16-3 vs Angels. His .842 winning percentage is best among pitchers with 20+ starts vs LAA.
- Curtis Granderson’s third inning home run was his 12th go-ahead home run of this season, most in the majors.
- Speaking of home runs, the Yankees now have 138 in 2012. Yes, that’s a lot.
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
12 Responses to But I Thought The Yankees Always Lost To The Angels?
Leave a Reply
-
TIQ IQ
Since they signed
Soriano (the owner’s guy) has been a valuable contributor-especially this year.
Feliciano (Cashman’s guy) has been hurt.
Chuckled at “Curtis Granderson, who is not a home run hitter, hit his 24th home run of the year…” Well played. (As long as Grandy keeps doing what he’s doing, I don’t care if he keeps saying he’s not a home run hitter, haha.)
Enjoyable recap Stace!
Thanks!
The problem is that all he does is hit home runs. He now plays terrible defense in CF, no longer steals bases effectively, has an OBP under .355, and is on pace to strikeout over 180 times, at 31 years of age. If the Yankees re-sign him to a 5 year deal they are the dumbest team in baseball. He’s already not a center fielder and in LF his numbers don’t play near as well, and they should only decrease every year into a deal that takes him through age 36.
The defense may be a result of playing for the past few years next to Brett Gardner, but there’s no doubt the HRs mask some other troubling numbers.
Except this is his worst defensive year both via the numbers and with the eye and Gardner hasn’t played enough games to effect that this year. Granderson has always been a player getting away with bad reads and reactions in the outfield becaus of speed, as the speed falls his defense will as well. Just like Johnny Damon before him eventually his speed will give way to simply another poor read and react left fielder.
I know, I was being sarcastic because he’s always saying he’s not a home run hitter but it is a little disconcerting that all he does is either hit a home run or strike out.
I can’t remember the exact number but Kay mentioned Curtis is on pace for at least 190 strike outs this year.
..and Austin Jackson is out OPSing Curtis by 64 points, despite being out-homered 24 to 9.
Grandy and Tex are the embodiment of the HR or bust offense they have this year. They’re 4th in Runs scored and ERA, 2nd in Run Diff, and have the best record in the AL. It hasn’t exactly hurt them, but I’ll be very happy when Gardy comes back and they can diversify their attack a bit.
Are we sure he’s coming back?
Why is Phelps not starting? There is no depth issue. Freddy hadnt started a game in a couple months, and then went 5 and 6 innings. Put him back in the pen and get Phelps in there. The odds are he will produce roughly the same results as Freddy, but he actually has a chance to mean somthing to the Yankees, be it trade or part of of the rotation. No reason in the world to have Phelps rotting in AAA. Someone give a reason that Freddy is starting over Phelps?
Scioscia got his ‘genius’ reputation by out managing Joe Torre from 2002-2008. Never mind the fact that most of those teams never won anything (03 pennant aside) and even Joe’s staunchest supporters would concede that Torre was never a good in-game manager. Now that we have Girardi and his much-maligned binder the Yanks are…drumroll please….
Mike Axisa @mikeaxisa
5-18 counting the 2009 ALCS RT: @mikeaxisa: Angels are 5-15 at the New Yankee Stadium.
The games they played against the Angels in 2002-2008 were maddening. Although I do remember a series in July 2005 when the Yankees had two great comebacks on the Saturday and Sunday against the Angels’ bullpen.
The Saturday win was capped off by a Matsui walk-off double and the Sunday game, which was cap day and I was in attendance, ended on a pinch hit single by Tony Womack of all people on a drawn in five-man infield.
It was glorious.
And then the 2005 Division Series happened and so did Bubba Crosby and Gary Sheffield. *sigh*