ANAHEIM, Calif. -- There were days, plenty of them, when Jered Weaver would light up radar guns and blow fastballs past hitters.
Now the years and the innings have taken their toll, forcing Weaver to reinvent himself as a control pitcher. It has not always been a smooth or successful process.
Sunday, though, in the Angels' 3-2 victory over the AL West-leading Texas Rangers, Weaver gave evidence of a starting pitcher who may yet have figured out a way to extend his career.
"Weave has a way of getting it done," manager Mike Scioscia said. "He really knows his way around situations and knows his way around hitters."
On a day when all the runs came via the solo homer, Weaver (11-11) might have come up with his best outing of the season. He gave up two solo home runs to Adrian Beltre, but otherwise kept the Rangers in check.
Andrelton Simmons matched Beltre with two solo home runs -- he began the day with one homer this season.
Yunel Escobar led off first for the Angels with the other solo shot off Colby Lewis (6-2).
The rest was left to Weaver, who struck out a season-high eight in 6 2/3 innings. He allowed four hits and walked two.
"I'm just glad I finally got this thing figured out," Weaver said. "Every start it seems to be getting better."
Weaver led the American League in strikeouts with 233 in 2010. He won 20 games two years later and 18 as recently as 2014.
But the last two years have seen a noticeable drop in velocity. His fastball now hovers in the mid-80s mph. He struck out Texas second baseman Rougned Odor in the first with a 68 mph curveball.
"It's tough when your expectations are so high," Weaver said.
Weaver has spent his entire career with the Angels and will become a free agent at the end of the season. He turns 34 next month, and no one is certain what awaits Weaver, or even if he wants to continue pitching.
"We'll talk about that the last week of the season," he said.
Neither is the team saying much about Weaver's future.
"We're going to take this one step at a time, hopefully finish strong here in the next couple of weeks and then start to evaluate things and see what's going on," Scioscia said.
After Escobar gave Weaver the early lead, Beltre homered in the second. Simmons put the Angels back ahead in the bottom half, then Beltre tied it back up with a home run in the sixth.
It was Beltre's fourth multihomer game of the season and 31st for his career. He has 29 home runs on the season.
Simmons connected again in the sixth.
For Lewis, it was his first start since going on the disabled list with a strained lat June 21.
"Kind of vintage Colby," Texas manager Jeff Banister said. "Able to move the fastball around, use the curveball with the slider to get outs. Other than three pitches, in control of what he was wanting to do. It was nice to see. We're going to need Colby down the stretch."
Lewis went 5 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks. He struck out five.
Andrew Bailey, released by the Phillies last month and then signed by the Angels, pitched a perfect ninth to earn his third save.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rangers: RHP Tony Barnette, the 32-year-old rookie who's become an unexpected key cog in the bullpen, has not pitched since Sept. 4 because of a mild oblique strain. Manager Jeff Banister said the injury was not serious enough to warrant a stint on the disabled list.
Angels: RHP Matt Shoemaker, readmitted to the hospital Saturday after feeling pressure in the area where he was hit in the head by a line drive a week ago, was discharged Sunday after an additional CT scan. He had emergency brain surgery to relieve swelling in Seattle on Sept. 4.
UP NEXT
Rangers: LHP Martin Perez (10-10) is scheduled to make his team-high 30th start of the season Monday when the Rangers open a three-game series in Houston. Perez has gone at least five innings in each of his previous 11 starts.
Angels: RHP Ricky Nolasco (5-13) is slotted to start for the Angels when the Mariners open a three-game series in Anaheim Monday. Nolasco is 1-5 with a 4.30 ERA in his first seven starts with the Angels since being acquired from the Twins Aug. 1.
Texas Rangers
Now the years and the innings have taken their toll, forcing Weaver to reinvent himself as a control pitcher. It has not always been a smooth or successful process.
Sunday, though, in the Angels' 3-2 victory over the AL West-leading Texas Rangers, Weaver gave evidence of a starting pitcher who may yet have figured out a way to extend his career.
"Weave has a way of getting it done," manager Mike Scioscia said. "He really knows his way around situations and knows his way around hitters."
On a day when all the runs came via the solo homer, Weaver (11-11) might have come up with his best outing of the season. He gave up two solo home runs to Adrian Beltre, but otherwise kept the Rangers in check.
Andrelton Simmons matched Beltre with two solo home runs -- he began the day with one homer this season.
Yunel Escobar led off first for the Angels with the other solo shot off Colby Lewis (6-2).
The rest was left to Weaver, who struck out a season-high eight in 6 2/3 innings. He allowed four hits and walked two.
"I'm just glad I finally got this thing figured out," Weaver said. "Every start it seems to be getting better."
Weaver led the American League in strikeouts with 233 in 2010. He won 20 games two years later and 18 as recently as 2014.
But the last two years have seen a noticeable drop in velocity. His fastball now hovers in the mid-80s mph. He struck out Texas second baseman Rougned Odor in the first with a 68 mph curveball.
"It's tough when your expectations are so high," Weaver said.
Weaver has spent his entire career with the Angels and will become a free agent at the end of the season. He turns 34 next month, and no one is certain what awaits Weaver, or even if he wants to continue pitching.
"We'll talk about that the last week of the season," he said.
Neither is the team saying much about Weaver's future.
"We're going to take this one step at a time, hopefully finish strong here in the next couple of weeks and then start to evaluate things and see what's going on," Scioscia said.
After Escobar gave Weaver the early lead, Beltre homered in the second. Simmons put the Angels back ahead in the bottom half, then Beltre tied it back up with a home run in the sixth.
It was Beltre's fourth multihomer game of the season and 31st for his career. He has 29 home runs on the season.
Simmons connected again in the sixth.
For Lewis, it was his first start since going on the disabled list with a strained lat June 21.
"Kind of vintage Colby," Texas manager Jeff Banister said. "Able to move the fastball around, use the curveball with the slider to get outs. Other than three pitches, in control of what he was wanting to do. It was nice to see. We're going to need Colby down the stretch."
Lewis went 5 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks. He struck out five.
Andrew Bailey, released by the Phillies last month and then signed by the Angels, pitched a perfect ninth to earn his third save.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rangers: RHP Tony Barnette, the 32-year-old rookie who's become an unexpected key cog in the bullpen, has not pitched since Sept. 4 because of a mild oblique strain. Manager Jeff Banister said the injury was not serious enough to warrant a stint on the disabled list.
Angels: RHP Matt Shoemaker, readmitted to the hospital Saturday after feeling pressure in the area where he was hit in the head by a line drive a week ago, was discharged Sunday after an additional CT scan. He had emergency brain surgery to relieve swelling in Seattle on Sept. 4.
UP NEXT
Rangers: LHP Martin Perez (10-10) is scheduled to make his team-high 30th start of the season Monday when the Rangers open a three-game series in Houston. Perez has gone at least five innings in each of his previous 11 starts.
Angels: RHP Ricky Nolasco (5-13) is slotted to start for the Angels when the Mariners open a three-game series in Anaheim Monday. Nolasco is 1-5 with a 4.30 ERA in his first seven starts with the Angels since being acquired from the Twins Aug. 1.
| View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-Pitch | Inning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Texas - Top of 1st | SCORE | |
|---|---|---|
| Jered Weaver pitching for Los Angeles | TEX | LAA |
| Gómez struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| Desmond popped out to second. | 0 | 0 |
| Odor struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 1st | SCORE | |
| Colby Lewis pitching for Texas | TEX | LAA |
| Escobar homered to left center (398 feet). | 0 | 1 |
| Calhoun doubled to right. | 0 | 1 |
| Trout struck out swinging. | 0 | 1 |
| Pujols struck out swinging. | 0 | 1 |
| Cron struck out swinging. | 0 | 1 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Top of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Jered Weaver pitching for Los Angeles | TEX | LAA |
| Beltré homered to left (360 feet). | 1 | 1 |
| Moreland flied out to left. | 1 | 1 |
| Mazara flied out to center. | 1 | 1 |
| Profar struck out swinging. | 1 | 1 |
| 1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Colby Lewis pitching for Texas | TEX | LAA |
| Simmons homered to left center (401 feet). | 1 | 2 |
| Ortega lined out to left. | 1 | 2 |
| Pérez doubled to left center. | 1 | 2 |
| Cowart grounded out to second, Pérez to third. | 1 | 2 |
| Escobar grounded out to shortstop. | 1 | 2 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Top of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Jered Weaver pitching for Los Angeles | TEX | LAA |
| Alberto struck out swinging. | 1 | 2 |
| Chirinos flied out to center. | 1 | 2 |
| Gómez walked. | 1 | 2 |
| Desmond popped out to second. | 1 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Colby Lewis pitching for Texas | TEX | LAA |
| Calhoun popped out to third. | 1 | 2 |
| Trout walked. | 1 | 2 |
| Pujols lined out to center. | 1 | 2 |
| Cron singled to center, Trout to second. | 1 | 2 |
| Simmons flied out to right. | 1 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Top of 4th | SCORE | |
| Jered Weaver pitching for Los Angeles | TEX | LAA |
| Odor lined out to right. | 1 | 2 |
| Beltré singled to shallow center. | 1 | 2 |
| Moreland struck out looking. | 1 | 2 |
| Beltré stole second. | 1 | 2 |
| Mazara struck out swinging. | 1 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 4th | SCORE | |
| Colby Lewis pitching for Texas | TEX | LAA |
| Ortega grounded out to third. | 1 | 2 |
| Pérez flied out to left. | 1 | 2 |
| Cowart flied out to left. | 1 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Top of 5th | SCORE | |
| Jered Weaver pitching for Los Angeles | TEX | LAA |
| Profar grounded out to catcher. | 1 | 2 |
| Alberto struck out looking. | 1 | 2 |
| Chirinos singled to right. | 1 | 2 |
| Gómez struck out swinging. | 1 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 5th | SCORE | |
| Colby Lewis pitching for Texas | TEX | LAA |
| Escobar singled to center. | 1 | 2 |
| Calhoun struck out swinging. | 1 | 2 |
| Trout struck out swinging. | 1 | 2 |
| Pujols grounded into fielder's choice to third, Escobar out at second. | 1 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Top of 6th | SCORE | |
| Jered Weaver pitching for Los Angeles | TEX | LAA |
| Desmond popped out to second. | 1 | 2 |
| Odor fouled out to catcher. | 1 | 2 |
| Beltré homered to left (410 feet). | 2 | 2 |
| Moreland flied out to left. | 2 | 2 |
| 1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 6th | SCORE | |
| Colby Lewis pitching for Texas | TEX | LAA |
| Cron walked. | 2 | 2 |
| Cron caught stealing second, catcher to shortstop. | 2 | 2 |
| Simmons homered to left (394 feet). | 2 | 3 |
| Álvarez relieved Lewis. | 2 | 3 |
| Robinson hit for Ortega. | 2 | 3 |
| Robinson grounded out to third. | 2 | 3 |
| Pérez grounded out to shortstop. | 2 | 3 |
| 1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Top of 7th | SCORE | |
| Jered Weaver pitching for Los Angeles | TEX | LAA |
| Robinson in left field. | 2 | 3 |
| Pennington at second base. | 2 | 3 |
| Mazara grounded out to first. | 2 | 3 |
| Profar flied out to center. | 2 | 3 |
| Gallo hit for Alberto. | 2 | 3 |
| Gallo walked. | 2 | 3 |
| Morin relieved Weaver. | 2 | 3 |
| Beltrán hit for Chirinos. | 2 | 3 |
| Beltrán struck out swinging. | 2 | 3 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 7th | SCORE | |
| Dario Alvarez pitching for Texas | TEX | LAA |
| Gallo at third base. | 2 | 3 |
| Lucroy catching. | 2 | 3 |
| Pennington singled to left. | 2 | 3 |
| Escobar grounded into double play, second to shortstop to first, Pennington out at second. | 2 | 3 |
| Calhoun flied out to center. | 2 | 3 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Top of 8th | SCORE | |
| JC Ramirez pitching for Los Angeles | TEX | LAA |
| Ramírez relieved Morin. | 2 | 3 |
| Gómez singled to right. | 2 | 3 |
| Gómez caught stealing second, pitcher to first to shortstop. | 2 | 3 |
| Desmond struck out looking. | 2 | 3 |
| Odor struck out swinging. | 2 | 3 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 8th | SCORE | |
| Tanner Scheppers pitching for Texas | TEX | LAA |
| Scheppers relieved Álvarez. | 2 | 3 |
| Trout struck out looking. | 2 | 3 |
| Pujols flied out to left. | 2 | 3 |
| Cron grounded out to pitcher. | 2 | 3 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Top of 9th | SCORE | |
| Andrew Bailey pitching for Los Angeles | TEX | LAA |
| Bailey relieved Ramírez. | 2 | 3 |
| Beltré flied out to right. | 2 | 3 |
| Moreland grounded out to first. | 2 | 3 |
| Mazara struck out looking. | 2 | 3 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Texas Rangers
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | #P | AVG | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gómez LF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 15 | .214 | .284 | .349 |
| Desmond CF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13 | .288 | .340 | .466 |
| Odor 2B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 17 | .278 | .302 | .511 |
| Beltré DH | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 13 | .299 | .358 | .516 |
| Moreland 1B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 | .248 | .318 | .461 |
| Mazara RF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12 | .271 | .326 | .421 |
| Profar SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | .251 | .315 | .352 |
| Alberto 3B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | .163 | .163 | .186 |
a-Gallo PH-3B
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | .063 | .167 | .250 |
| Chirinos C | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | .209 | .299 | .448 |
b-Beltrán PH
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | .298 | .340 | .520 |
Lucroy C
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .298 | .365 | .625 |
| Totals | 31 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 124 | |||
| a-walked for H Alberto in the 7th b-struck out swinging for R Chirinos in the 7th | ||||||||||
| BATTING HR: Beltré 2 (29, 2nd inning off Weaver 0 on, 0 Out; 6th inning off Weaver 0 on, 2 Out) RBI: Beltré 2 (96) 2-out RBI: Beltré Rangers RISP: 0-1 (Mazara 0-1) Team LOB: 4 | ||||||||||
| BASERUNNING SB: Beltré (1, 2nd base off Weaver/Pérez) CS: Gómez (4, 2nd base by Ramírez) | ||||||||||
| FIELDING DP: 1 (Odor-Profar-Moreland). | ||||||||||
Game Information
| Stadium | Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, CA |
| Attendance | 35,052 (77% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 2:31 |
| Weather | 81 degrees, sunny |
| Wind | 7 mph |
| Umpires | Home Plate - Ron Kulpa, First Base - Chris Conroy, Second Base - Jerry Meals, Third Base - Mike Winters |
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