Around the Baseball Diamond: August 2014

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Mike Trout's homer backs Matt Shoemaker as Angels sweep A's

Final

Series: Game 4 of 4

Angels 8

(83-53, 47-24 home)

73°
Clear

3:35 PM ET, August 31, 2014
Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, California

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
OAK	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	6	1
LAA	0	6	0	0	0	0	1	1	-	8	8	0

W: M. Shoemaker (14-4)
L: S. Kazmir (14-7)

Associated Press

Angels Sweep Athletics

The Angels tagged Scott Kazmir for six earned runs over 1 1/3 innings en route to defeating the Athletics 8-1.

Tags: MLB, Oakland Athletics, Los Angeles Angels, Scott Kazmir, Kole Calhoun, Gordon Beckham

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- While the Los Angeles Angels buzzed around their clubhouse preparing for their fantasy football draft, the Oakland Athletics had their own doors locked for a grim team meeting.
California's AL West powers are headed into September in very different moods after the Angels seized control of the division race in one remarkable weekend.

More from ESPN.com

The Angels' four-game sweep of the Athletics means that the AL West race is over, and the Halos just put the A's away, writes David Schoenfield. Story

Mike Trout hit his career-high 31st homer and drove in three runs, Matt Shoemaker pitched seven shutout innings of five-hit ball, and the Angels completed a masterful four-game sweep of the A's with an 8-1 victory Sunday.
"That was a huge series for us in regards the playoffs and the AL West, a huge series," said Shoemaker (14-4), who got his sixth win in August. "I just wanted to keep it going."
Chris Iannetta also homered and had three hits for the Angels, who took a five-game lead in the division standings with the best record in the majors at 83-53. Outpitching the A's vaunted staff and outhitting Oakland's usually productive lineup, Los Angeles outscored the A's 18-4 in the four-game set.
"We're having fun and we're winning ballgames, but it's still August," Trout said before grabbing his Philadelphia Eagles helmet out of his locker and threatening to wear it to the draft. "Can't get too excited yet."
Still, it's tough for the Angels not to get a little bit stoked by their surge, which includes a six-game winning streak. They shut out the A's for the 29 consecutive innings during the series, and their sellout crowd loudly chanted "Sweep! Sweep!" as the Angels finished it off.
Trout had a two-run single during a six-run second inning for Los Angeles, which has won 15 of 19. The A's have lost 14 of 20.
"It was embarrassing. Pathetic," said A's manager Bob Melvin, who was ejected in the second inning. "We don't play like that. The last three games here were the worst I've seen this team play in I can't remember how long. I feel bad for our fans to have to watch that."
Scott Kazmir (14-7) got just four outs for the A's, and he criticized home plate umpire Gerry Davis afterward. Kazmir also claimed Davis had been reprimanded by baseball officials for making a "cry-baby face" at the Oakland dugout Saturday.
Major League Baseball said it had no comment on Kazmir's assertion.
"It's important to rise above any personal issue and call a fair game," Kazmir said. "We owe it to the game to do that. We really do. And what I saw from the video, I saw 10-plus pitches that I thought were right there. I don't know if it has something to do with last night and how he got reprimanded or anything like that, but the professionalism is something that I have an issue with.
"No matter what happens on the field, some things are just unacceptable. When you constantly pitch inside and hit your spot every single time and have nothing to show for it, it's frustrating," he said.
Oakland, which led the AL West for nearly four straight months this season, now faces its biggest division deficit since May 25, 2013.
"I definitely think something needed to be said," Josh Donaldson said of the A's closed-door meeting. "This is the time of the season where you need to start playing your best. And right now, we're playing our worst."
Gordon Beckham and Kole Calhoun drew bases-loaded walks in the second from Kazmir, who matched his shortest start of the season. After Kazmir issued three straight walks and got the hook, Melvin was tossed for arguing with Davis.
After eight Angels relievers pitched a three-hit shutout Saturday night, Shoemaker (14-4) provided the bullpen with plenty of rest. The rookie right-hander capped a tremendous month by striking out seven and extending his personal scoreless innings streak to 23 1/3 innings while allowing no Oakland runners to reach third base.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Athletics: CF Coco Crisp sat out again after his wall collision Friday.
Angels: INF Grant Green came off the disabled list after missing 37 games with a lumbar strain.
UP NEXT
Athletics: Jason Hammel (1-5, 5.77) opens a series with Seattle at the Coliseum on Monday night. Dunn should be available.
Angels: After Labor Day off, Hector Santiago (4-7, 3.28) pitches in Houston to open a 10-game trip.
TRADING UP?:
Oakland got slugger Adam Dunn from the Chicago White Sox in a trade Sunday to help their slumping offense.
He can't arrive soon enough: The A's 29 straight innings without scoring a run was the third-longest streak in Oakland history. Oakland scored its first run since Thursday on Josh Reddick's RBI single off Mike Morin in the eighth.

Regular Season Series

Series tied 8-8 (as of Sun 8/31)
Mon 4/14	OAK 3, @LAA 2	Recap
Tue 4/15	OAK 10, @LAA 9	Recap
Wed 4/16	@LAA 5, OAK 4	Recap
Fri 5/30	@OAK 9, LAA 5	Recap
Sat 5/31	@OAK 11, LAA 3	Recap
Sun 6/1	@OAK 6, LAA 3	Recap
Mon 6/9	@LAA 4, OAK 1	Recap
Tue 6/10	@LAA 2, OAK 1	Recap
Wed 6/11	OAK 7, @LAA 1	Recap
Fri 8/22	@OAK 5, LAA 3	Recap
Sat 8/23	@OAK 2, LAA 1	Recap
Sun 8/24	LAA 9, @OAK 4	Recap
Thu 8/28	@LAA 4, OAK 3	Recap
Fri 8/29	@LAA 4, OAK 0	Recap
Sat 8/30	@LAA 2, OAK 0	Recap
» Sun 8/31	@LAA 8, OAK 1	Box Score
Sep 22, 2014	LAA @ OAK	10:05 PM ET
Sep 23, 2014	LAA @ OAK	10:05 PM ET
Sep 24, 2014	LAA @ OAK	3:35 PM ET
Complete Schedule: Athletics \| Angels

Scoring Summary

			OAK	LAA
	2nd	E Aybar singled to left, J Hamilton scored, H Kendrick to second.	0	1
	2nd	G Beckham walked, H Kendrick scored, E Aybar to third, C Iannetta to second.	0	2
	2nd	K Calhoun walked, E Aybar scored, C Iannetta to third, G Beckham to second.	0	3
	2nd	M Trout singled to center, C Iannetta and G Beckham scored, K Calhoun to third.	0	5
	2nd	A Pujols grounded out to third, K Calhoun scored, M Trout to second.	0	6
	7th	M Trout homered to center (397 feet).	0	7
	8th	J Reddick singled to center, S Fuld scored.	1	7
	8th	C Iannetta homered to left center (411 feet).	1	8
View complete Play-By-Play

Game Information

Stadium	Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, CA
Attendance	44,205 (97.2% full) - % is based on regular season capacity
Game Time	2:54
Weather	84 degrees, partly cloudy
Wind	11 mph
Umpires	Home Plate - Gerry Davis, First Base - Greg Gibson, Second Base - Phil Cuzzi, Third Base - Will Little

Research Notes

Scott Kazmir (OAK): 1 1/3 IP, 6 ER, 4 BB today vs Angels. Each of his last 2 starts have come against the Angels - his former team - and in total he's allowed 13 ER, 6 BB in 4 1/3 IP.

Cardinals overcome 5-run deficit to beat Cubs 9-6

Final

Series: Game 4 of 4

Cubs 6

(61-76, 29-43 away)

Cardinals 9

(73-63, 41-28 home)

76°
Clear

2:15 PM ET, August 31, 2014
Busch Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
CHC	0	5	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	6	11	0
STL	0	0	0	1	3	0	2	3	-	9	13	2

W: P. Neshek (7-1)
L: C. Villanueva (5-7)
S: T. Rosenthal (40)

Associated Press

Cardinals Power Past Cubs

Baseball Tonight Spotlight: Matt Holliday drove in four runs to lead the Cardinals past the Cubs 9-6.

Tags: MLB, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, Matt Holliday

ST. LOUIS -- Matt Holliday doesn't get too technical about what he tries to do at the plate for the Cardinals.
Holliday hit his third home run in two games and broke an eighth-inning tie with a two-run single, rallying St. Louis past the Chicago Cubs 9-6 on Sunday.
"I just try to hit the ball to the middle of the field," said Holliday, who has five homers against the Cubs this season and 20 in his career. "Trying to hit a single up the middle is a good approach."
Holliday finished with three hits and four RBIs for the Cardinals, who moved into a tie with Milwaukee for first place in the NL Central. The Brewers lost 15-5 in San Francisco.
St. Louis manager Mike Matheny was pleased with his team's performance.
"I love it when guys do what they've always done and people seem to forget year after year," Matheny said. "He's an elite player. He continues to figure out ways to get it done no matter what. It was a big game and we needed it."
St. Louis second baseman Kolten Wong homered but left in the top of the eighth after falling backward when he tried to catch a popup in short right field. He appeared to hurt his head and shoulder, and was replaced by Pete Kozma.
Kozma, in his third stint with St. Louis this season, led off the bottom half with a double. It was his second hit in four at-bats this year.
After failing to get down two bunt attempts, Daniel Descalso got the third one down and beat Carlos Villanueva's throw to first for a single. With the bases loaded and two outs, Holliday singled off Villanueva (5-7) to drive in two runs.
The ball appeared to hit Villanueva's foot, but the reliever said it actually struck the rubber and caromed into short left field.
Jhonny Peralta's third single scored the final run in a three-run eighth.
Pat Neshek (7-1) earned the win with one inning of work. Trevor Rosenthal got his 40th save in 45 chances with a scoreless ninth.
The Cardinals trailed 5-0 but rallied to tie it at 6 with two runs in the seventh. With two outs and two on, Peralta and Yadier Molina each hit a run-scoring single off Pedro Strop.
John Lackey pitched 6 1/3 innings in his sixth start for St. Louis since coming over from Boston on July 31. The right-hander allowed five runs, two earned, and nine hits.
"We've got a bunch of grinders," Holliday said. "We haven't had the best offensive season. Lackey gave us a chance. He shut them down after the second and gave us a chance to get a couple here and a couple there. Next thing you know you're within a run and with a big hit, you have a chance to win the game."
Lackey issued a leadoff walk in the second and made a throwing error that allowed a run to score. Chris Coghlan hit a two-run single and Luis Valbuena, who had three hits, added a two-run homer to make it 5-0.
"I definitely would have liked to not let that inning get as far out of hand as it did and try to cut it to maybe two or three runs," Lackey said. "But I was able to make some adjustments after that and you've got to give the offense all the credit in the world today the way they came back, especially Matt, who's swinging the bat so well. It just was a big comeback win for us."
Holliday hit his 16th homer in the fourth, and St. Louis scored three in the fifth.
Wong hit a leadoff homer, and Matt Carpenter's RBI double glanced off the glove of center fielder Arismendy Alcantara at the warning track. Holliday's run-scoring double off the left-field fence chased starter Travis Wood.
Holliday is 13 for 37 (.351) against Wood with four home runs.
"They got a couple of pitches to hit out of the ballpark and they kept plugging away," Chicago manager Rick Renteria said. "That's what happens when you play against good clubs. That's the beauty of the Central Division. I'll still take my club against their club any day, and we'll keep battling."
Alcantara gave the Cubs a 6-4 edge with a solo homer off reliever Randy Choate.
Wong said he was fighting the sun trying to catch the popup and fell. He underwent concussion tests.
"I felt really dizzy," Wong said. "I'm not in any pain and I don't have any headaches."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cubs: 1B Anthony Rizzo (tightness in lower back) was out of the lineup again. Rizzo, second in the NL with 30 homers, has not played since Tuesday in Cincinnati, where his back tightened up during a 50-minute rain delay. He is expected back Monday.
Cardinals: RHPs Michael Wacha (shoulder) and Jason Motte (shoulder) were scheduled to pitch Sunday night for Double-A Springfield. Both pitchers are on rehab assignments.
SLUMPING
St. Louis 1B Matt Adams did not start. He was 1 for 12 in three games against Chicago. Adams, who has only one homer since July 19, appeared in the eighth inning as a pinch-hitter and struck out. His average dropped to .296.
UP NEXT
Cubs: Jacob Turner (4-8, 5.84 ERA) will make his second start at home Monday against Milwaukee. The St. Louis native is 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in three appearances with Chicago since he was acquired from Miami.
Cardinals: Lance Lynn (14-8, 2.79) starts at home Monday afternoon against Pittsburgh. Lynn's start will be his team-leading 28th of the season and his fourth against the Pirates. With a victory, Lynn would join Detroit ace Max Scherzer as the only pitchers with 15 wins in each of the last three seasons.