(Best E Casino) - It's a rare occasion when
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim closer Francisco Rodriguez fails to protect a late-inning lead. It's even more uncommon when the standout fireman's team loses two series in a row.
Both abnormal feats happened in Anaheim's 5-4, 10-inning home loss to the turbulent New York Mets on Wednesday. Rodriguez yielded a game-tying single to David Wright with two outs in the top of the ninth, and the Mets completed the comeback when one-time Angel Damion Easley homered off Justin Speier in the 10th.
The Angels had been 38-1 this season when in front after eight innings.
The loss capped off a frustrating six-game interleague stretch for the American League West leaders, who dropped two of three tests at Angel Stadium to the pitching-deprived Atlanta Braves prior to Monday's 9-6 setback to New York in what turned out to be Willie Randolph's swan song as Mets manager.
Wednesday's defeat also marked the first time the Angels fell in back-to-back series since July of last season, when the club was beaten twice in three games at Minnesota before losing two of three matchups at home to division- rival Oakland.
Rodriguez had a franchise-record string of 25 straight successful save conversions snapped after blowing his first chance since April 7. The hard- throwing righty still comfortably leads the majors with 28 saves for the season, a number which puts him on pace to shatter the all-time single-year record of 57 set by the Chicago White Sox' Bobby Thigpen in 1990.
Such a hiccup is excusable, considering Rodriguez's stellar pitching has been as big as a reason as any why the Angels own the second-best record in the AL and currently hold a 3 1/2-game advantage on second-place Oakland in the division standings. However, it's harder to forgive Anaheim's sloppy play, particularly on the basepaths, that played a role in both losses to the Mets.
Up by a run in the fifth inning of Wednesday's game, the Angels had a golden opportunity to extend the margin by putting runners at first and third with just one out. But Vladimir Guerrero was thrown out at the plate by Wright after breaking home on Robb Quinlan's bouncer to third, and Torii Hunter -- apparently thinking the inning was over -- was tagged out between second and third on the play to end the threat.
The always-aggressive Angels ran themselves out of a potentially big inning in Monday's loss as well. Guerrero was again nabbed trying to score from third on a Casey Kotchman grounder for the second out of the bottom of the fourth, then Kotchman was cut down attempting to come home from second on Howie Kendrick's ensuing single.
"We had some misreads on the bases," manager Mike Scioscia told the Angels' official site following the game. "But I don't think that was as much of a factor as (mistakes) on the mound."
Scioscia was referring to Jered Weaver's shaky showing in the series opener. The Anaheim starter was roughed up for six runs and allowed eight hits, including a pair of homers by the Mets' Carlos Beltran, over 6 1/3 innings.
SURPLUS AT SHORT
The Angels activated infielder Erick Aybar from the 15-day disabled list prior to Wednesday's game, giving Scioscia a pleasant dilemma at the valuable shortstop position.
Aybar had seized the everyday shortstop job from Maicer Izturis during the season's early stages and held that role until dislocating his right pinkie finger in a game against Toronto on May 20. In the 25 games Aybar was sidelined, Izturis emerged as one of the hottest hitters for an Anaheim offense that has been searching for consistent production as of late.
Izturis has been especially hot in recent weeks. The versatile switch-hitter is batting .391 (27-for-69) over the last 16 games and has nine multi-hit outings over that span. The surge has raised his season average from .202 to .268.
Aybar was holding his own at the plate as well prior to his injury, while also supplying Gold Glove-caliber defense in the field. Despite that very solid all-around play, it's still quite likely that the 24-year-old Dominican will find himself deferring to Izturis as long as the latter continues to swing the bat well.
Aybar was in the lineup at short for Wednesday's loss to the Mets, partly because Izturis was dealing with a bit of tightness in his hamstring. Aybar also entered the game hitting a robust .382 against left-handed pitching, and the Mets started a southpaw in Oliver Perez.
COMING HOME
The Angels will play their first-ever games in the city of Philadelphia when the team participates in a weekend interleague series with the Phillies beginning Friday. The event will be particularly significant for Scioscia and Anaheim outfielder Gary Matthews Jr.
Scioscia was born and raised in the Philadelphia suburbs and is a graduate of nearby Springfield High School. He grew up a Phillies fan and often attended games at team's former ball park, Veterans Stadium, as a youth.
The former major-league catcher did make quite a few more trips to the old Vet during his 13-year career with the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1980-1992.
Matthews also has family ties to the City of Brotherly Love, as his father, Gary Matthews Sr., played for the Phillies from 1981-83 and currently works as a color commentator on the team's television broadcasts.
This series won't be the first time that father and son have been on opposing sides. The elder Matthews spent seven years as a major league hitting coach, most recently with the Chicago Cubs from 2003-06, and watched his son play from the enemy dugout on a number of occasions.
"It's not new," said Matthews Jr. of the situation. "It's just different because my dad will be in the booth and I can't see him in the other dugout."
WHO'S HOT
Guerrero is presently riding a 10-game hitting streak in which he is batting .425 (17-for-40) with three homers and 10 runs scored. After hitting a subpar .219 in May, the perennial All-Star has gone 20-for-48 (.417) at the plate over 13 June games.
Hunter has hit safely in nine of his last 10 contests and went 5-for-11 with four runs batted in and a pair of doubles in the three-game series with the Mets. The slick-fielding center fielder is now tied with Guerrero for the team lead with 37 RBI.
WHO'S NOT
Outfielder Garret Anderson is hitting an anemic .137 (7-for-51) so far in June and has managed just one extra-base hit over that 13-game stretch. The slump has lowered the longtime Angel's season average to .253, which would be the lowest mark by far of Anderson's 15-year career.
Catcher Mike Napoli continues to battle through a 2-for-35 slump that has dropped his average to .202 and caused him to lose considerable playing time to counterpart Jeff Mathis lately. The power-hitting backstop homered 10 times over his first 88 at-bats of the season, but hasn't gone deep since May 18.
ON DECK
The Angels' major league-best 21-12 road record will be tested by a nine-game trek against National League clubs that begins with Friday's clash against the NL East-leading Phillies.
Ervin Santana (8-3, 3.40) will pitch the opener of the Philadelphia series and goes up against Adam Eaton (2-4, 4.57). On Saturday, Anaheim's Joe Saunders (10-3, 3.06) aims for his 11th victory of the season when he faces off against the struggling Brett Myers (3-8, 5.58), while Weaver (6-7, 4.73) takes on Phillies ace Cole Hamels (7-4, 3.23) in Sunday's finale.
The Angels then head to the nation's capital for three meetings with the Washington Nationals before clashing with the area-rival Dodgers at Chavez Ravine from June 27-29.
