Angels win in 11

Mamba · May 11, 2010

ANAHEIM - Four runs just aren't enough.

On Monday night, however, 11 innings were.

Juan Rivera's sacrifice fly scored Kendry Morales with one out in the bottom of the 11th inning, giving the Angels a 5-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Morales led off the 11th with a single against Grant Balfour (0-1), advanced on Reggie Willits' bunt and took third on a wild pitch. Manager Joe Maddon then went to a five-man infield, adding outfielder Ben Zobrist to the mix, but Rivera flied to center and Morales scored after the catch by Gabe Kapler.

The ending was a shot in the arm for the three-time defending AL West champions, who were coming off a 2-8 road trip that was their worst since 2001. Torii Hunter and Mike Napoli homered, and Trevor Bell (1-0) struck out the only batter he faced in his season debut after getting called up from Class AAA Salt Lake earlier in the day.

The Rays, who came in with a major league-best 22-9 record, have lost 14 of their last 15 games in Anaheim, and 35 of their last 41 at the Big A.

For the second time in five games, the Angels blew a 4-0 lead. The first time, the starting pitching couldn't hold a four-run first-inning lead. Monday night in Anaheim, it was the bullpen's turn.

A run in the eighth inning seemed harmless enough, snapping a streak of 12 2/3 scoreless innings for reliever Fernando Rodney, but Brian Fuentes couldn't hold the 4-1 lead in the ninth, and the game went into extra innings tied at 4-4.

After a strikeout, Fuentes allowed a solo home run to Willie Aybar. Then Jason Bartlett reached on an infield single. After a flyout, Fuentes walked Ben Zobrist before giving up a two-run, game-tying double on the first pitch to Evan Longoria.

The Angels got some good bounces to open the scoring in the first.

Erick Aybar hit a slow roller down the first-base line, and when the ball ricocheted up off of the bag, Carlos Pena bobbled it and Aybar reached safely.

Aybar advanced to third on Bobby Abreu's single, but only because Longoria couldn't handle Sean Rodriguez's throw from center. Aybar scored on a sacrifice fly by Torii Hunter to put the Angels up 1-0.

Hunter's solo shot in the third, his fourth of the year, and Napoli's two-run homer in the fourth put the Angels up 4-0.

Joel Pineiro worked 6 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out seven and walking just one. Neither he nor Matt Garza factored in the decision.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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http://www.pe.com/sports/baseball/angels/stories/PE_Sports_Local_D_angels_11.4a0abb2.html

Mamba · May 11, 2010

Fuck Brian Fuentes. If I was Joel Pineiro, I'd punch him in the stupid porn stache he rocks. Worst closer in baseball, by far.

Nice to get a W. Hopefully we can keep this up and turn this shitty season around so far.

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Angels win in 11

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Angels win in 11

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