Tyler Skaggs pulled early, Angels top Orioles to extras, 1-0
Angels starter Tyler Skaggs had a no-hitter going through 4 2/3 innings because of tightness in his left forearm. The Angels dropped the Baltimore Orioles, 1-0, in 13 innings.
REPORTING FROM BALTIMORE — KEY MOMENT: Tyler Skaggs, who allowed no hits, struck out seven and walked two in 42/3 innings, felt his fingers go numb after he “over-pronated†on a pitch in the fifth. He was pulled because of a forearm strain. The left-hander regained feeling in his fingers and full range of motion by game’s end, “but it’s always a concern when you lose feeling in your fingers,†he said. If Skaggs goes on the disabled list, Hector Santiago, who was expected to move to the bullpen when C.J. Wilson returns from a right-ankle sprain Saturday, will remain in the rotation.
AT THE PLATE: Kole Calhoun opened the 13th with a walk and got a great jump on Mike Trout’s single to left field, taking third with his aggressive baserunning. Albert Pujols, who hit into a bases-loaded double play to end the third, stroked a single to center to score Calhoun with the game’s only run. Though David Freese had four hits, the offense continued its second-half struggles. In 13 games since the All-Star break, the Angels are batting .226 with 40 runs (3.1 a game) and hitting .204 (22 for 108) with runners in scoring position.
ON THE MOUND: Two of baseball’s best bullpens were on display again, but the Angels got the best of the Orioles this time, with Mike Morin, Kevin Jepsen, Joe Smith, Cory Rasmus, Santiago (who threw two innings for the win) and Huston Street combining for 81/3 scoreless innings. “The bullpen was unbelievable,†said Street, who notched his fourth save for his new team. “When everyone puts up zeros, you feel that responsibility to keep that chain moving. Everyone out there got the job done. It motivates you. It’s pretty cool.†Orioles starter Bud Norris allowed eight hits in seven shutout innings and is 4-0 with an 0.43 earned-run average in six career starts against the Angels.
IN THE FIELD: Pujols made a nice diving catch of Nelson Cruz’s low liner toward the first-base line in the ninth. Orioles third baseman Manny Machado backhanded Pujols’ 11th-inning grounder and, from foul territory and about 25 feet behind the bag, made the long throw to first for the out.
QUOTABLE: “Heck no, dude. I have 500 pounds in each of my legs. No chance.†— Pujols, when asked if he could beat Machado’s long throw to first in the 11th inning.
EXTRA BASES: Caleb Joseph’s eighth-inning single against Smith snapped the Angels reliever’s streak of 31 consecutive right-handed batters retired. … The Angels have played nine games of 12 innings or more this season.
UP NEXT: Right-hander Matt Shoemaker (8-3, 4.14 ERA) will oppose Tampa Bay right-hander Jeremy Hellickson (0-0, 1.00) at Tropicana Field on Friday at 4 p.m. PDT. On the air: TV: FS West. Radio: 830 AM.
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