Nobody in the Angels organization would say they aren't disappointed by the way the team has played so far this season, but at least they can once again claim a share of the bragging rights in Los Angeles.
Orlando Cabrera reached base safely for the 59th consecutive game, John Lackey tied a career-high with 10 strikeouts and Vladimir Guerrero hit his 17th home run as the Angels shut out the Dodgers 4-0 to win the season's second installment of the Freeway Series in front of 44,223 at Angel Stadium.
The Dodgers had beaten the Angels the first four times they played this season, including a three-game sweep at Dodger Stadium in May, but after the Dodgers won Friday's opener 6-1, the Angels responded by winning the next two games and the weekend series.
“I think the biggest difference in them (the Angels) is that they're healthier now,” Dodgers manager Grady Little said. “When we saw them before, Garret Anderson wasn't even in their lineup for the first two games; and in this series, he came up (with) several big hits.
“They've got their big guns back in the lineup and they drove in a lot of runs and that made all the difference in the world.”
Suddenly, with the help of Arizona's weekend sweep of Oakland, the Angels find themselves just five games out of first place in the AL West.
The Angels have a chance to make up more ground starting today, when they go on a seven-game road trip that will take them to Seattle for three games and then to Oakland for four leading up to the All-Star break.
The Dodgers remained 1 ½ games behind San Diego for first place in the NL West.
Complete article
Lackey, Angels drive
Lackey, Angels drive
Linear Mode
