After a loss on Monday, the Angels came back to beat the Indians on Tuesday 3-2 and Wednesday 14-11 to take the series and win seven of their last eight.
The Angels won by just one run on Tuesday to split the series. After the Indians scored two in the first two innings, the Angels tied it up in the second with two runs. Jeff Mathis hit a fielders’ choice to drive in a run and came around to score after stealing second off Reggie Willits’ RBI-single. Mathis’ leadoff solo homerun in the fifth was the difference in the game.
The Angels had to do without starter Jeff Weaver after the third when he was pulled for a shoulder knot. Weaver had already thrown 77 pitches and given up two runs, including a leadoff homerun in the first to Grady Sizemore to give the Indians an early lead. Weaver was backed up by the bullpen, though, and is still expected to make his next scheduled start at Boston on Monday. Darren Oliver, Jose Arrendondo, Scott Shields and K-Rod all combined for six shutout innings with just four hits. Oliver earned the win and K-Rod got the save while stranding the tying run at second.
The rubber match was an offensive attack from both sides, but the Angels outhit and outscored the Indians to win the series.
The offense was powered by Casey Kotchman, who was a career-high perfect 5 for 5, Howie Kendrick, who was 4 for 5 with 3 runs and 3 RBI, and Jeff Mathis, who was 4 for 5 with 2 runs and 6 RBI, including a grand slam. the first of his career. The Angels totaled 19 hits and scored at least two runs in all but three innings. They were down 2-0 after the first, tied it up in the second, but were back down again by the fourth. They took a brief lead in the bottom of the fourth but exploded for five runs in the fifth to hold the lead, led by a bases-loaded walk to Gary Matthews Jr. followed by Mathis’ granny. The only Angel not to have a hit was Chone Figgins, who went 0 for 6 atop the lineup. Torii Hunter was also absent from the hot offensive night, but should be back in the lineup by the weekend.
John Lackey should feel lucky to have been given that much run support, as he was tagged for six runs on eight hits through five innings. He left after five with a lead, though, and went on to take the win. He gave the Tribe a two-run lead in the second and allowed them to take the lead again in the fourth by surrendering a two-run shot to Garko. The Angels were down a run in the middle of the fifth but the Angels’ five-run rally allowed Lackey to sail on for his eighth win. Justin Speier threw a hitless sixth before Darren O’Day came in and struggled for 1-plus innings, giving up four runs on three hits. Jose Arrendondo surrendered a run and took the game into the ninth before K-Rod got his 42nd save after throwing just one pitch, a two-out ground-out to Ben Francisco to end the game.
