Angels Ride A Strong Start From Aldeghiri To Take Rubber Game Against Athletics, 4-1

The Los Angeles Angels won the rubber game of their three-game set against the Athletics today with a 4-1 win, as they rode some unexpected power from Josh Lowe and a strong start by Sam Aldegheri to win their second straight series. 

Aldegheri’s opponent was Aaron Civale, who shut out the Angels in the opening inning, then gave it up big in the second, with the Angels getting some unexpected power from Josh Lowe. The rally started with a single by Vaughn Grissom, a walk to Wade Meckler and an infield hit by Oswald Peraza to load the bases. 

Lowe then hit a grand slam that proved to be the game winner and then some as he lined a homer to right field to give the Angels a suprising 4-0 lead. 

Aldegheri was strong through four, but he faltered in the fifth as the A’s nicked him for a wun on a single by Jeff McNeil, a single by Alika Williams and a sacifice fly by Joey Meneses to cut the Angels lead to 4-1. 

The Angels starter went out after five with a good line, as he gave up just the one run on five hits while walking one and striking out four along the way. Jose Fermin did a nice job of picking up Aldegheri after that with two shutout innings. 

Ryan Zeferjahn took over in the eighth with an adventure inning as he walked the first two hitters, then came back to strike out the next two. The A’s sent Nick Kurtz up as a pinch hitter after he was given the day off, and Suzuki went to Samy Natera with two  out as Natera came throw and got a towering fly ball to Siri in center to get out of the jam. 

Suzuki decided to stick with Natera in the ninth, which was a smart move versus the option to go with Kirby Yates, who pitched last night and has been a high-risk hurler as the closer. The move paid off as Natera pitched a scoreless run to get his first career save, and the Angels got their second straight series win. 

It was Aldegheri’s third win of the season, and he, too, is starting to look like he could be a part of an effective rotation if he can continue to get past the inevitable rough starts.  

The Angels now head up the coast to meet the Seattle Mariners, and the Halos now have an unexpected change to get back in the AL West as the Mariners are just a half-game out at 42-43. Ryan Johnson will get the ball against George Kirby in a series that now has some actual significance.