Ervin Santana and Jeremy Bonderman went nearly pitch-for-pitch in last night’s game, but a Gary Matthews Jr. walk off RBI single in the ninth was the difference for the win.
Tigers starter Bonderman didn’t allow an Angel hit until the fifth and kept them scoreless through seven. The Angels tied it at 2-2 in the eighth when Reggie Willits led off with a pinch hit single. Sean Rodriguez then moved Willits over to second with a single before Macier Izturis sacrificed them over to third and second. A wild pitch allowed Willits to score before Garret Anderson had an RBI-single to score Rodriguez. Rodriquez also scored the winning run in the ninth after he and Izturis both walked and Matthews Jr. singled him home for the win.
Ervin Santana came out on top with his seventh win after yielding just two runs on three hits with no walks and seven K’s. His only mistake was a two-run shot to Miguel Cabrera in the second, but regained control to allow himself a three-hit complete game win, with 80 of his 113 pitches called for strikes.
The Angel offense is batting just .183 in their past eight games, but have still managed to get six wins with the help of the starters.
The Angels will go for the sweep tonight at 7:05. Joe Saunders will face rookie Armando Galarraga. Saunders will go for his ninth win to lead the AL and looks to improve his second-best ERA in the AL, which stands at 2.31. Galarraga stands at 3-2, and earned the no-decision earlier this season against the Angels after giving up one earned run through six in Detroit.
