September 16, 2017 Page 1 of 24

Clips

(September 16, 2017)

September 16, 2017 Page 2 of 24

Today’s Clips Contents

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIME (Page 3)

Three up, three down: Despite injuries, Trout, Kershaw are trophy hunting

Angels need a five-run rally to hold off Rangers in wild-card battle

FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER (Page 6)

Angels gain ground as Blake Parker saves tight victory over Rangers

Angels Notes: Mike Trout isn’t hitting, but he’s still setting the table in deeper lineup

FROM ANGELS.COM (Page 9)

Bridwell set for first career start vs. Texas

Halos’ 5-4un 6th sparks rally, Wild Card rise

Parker polishes bullpen’s day with 6-out save

Middleton day to day with elbow nerve irritation

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (Page 13)

Angels beat Rangers 7-6, gain ground in AL Wild-Card race

FROM YAHOO SPORTS! (Page 15)

Rangers, Angels still in AL playoff chase

Playoff percentages: Angels, Rangers continue to fall back of WC

FROM CBS SPORTS (Page 18)

Albert Pujols is the slowest player in MLB, and defenses are treating him like it

Rangers, Angels hope to stay competitive in wild-card race

Football’s back, but there’s a lot going on in MLB this weekend you should watch

FROM DETROIT FREE PRESS (Page 22)

Detroit Tigers acquire Angels prospect to complete Justin Upton deal

FROM REUTERS (Page 22)

Cron’s HR powers Angels past Rangers

September 16, 2017 Page 3 of 24

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

Three up, three down: Despite injuries, Trout, Kershaw are trophy hunting

By Bill Shaikin

A look at what’s trending in MLB:

THREE UP

Win-win: Mike Trout missed seven weeks because of a thumb injury and Clayton Kershaw was out

six weeks because of a back injury, yet both have displayed such excellence that each could win a

coveted trophy. Even if Trout cannot carry the Angels into the wild-card game, he and Jose Altuve of

the Houston Astros are likely to finish in the top two spots in American League MVP voting; Trout

would become the first player in major league history to finish first or second in six consecutive years.

Kershaw, shooting for his fourth National League Cy Young Award, leads the league in earned-run

average (2.12), wins (17), winning percentage (.813) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (7-1). Kershaw has 24

starts; Max Scherzer (14-6, 2.59) has 28 starts and 58 more strikeouts. The Dodgers’ Kershaw would

join Roger Clemens and Hall of Famers Steve Carlton, Randy Johnson and Greg Maddux as the only

players to win the Cy Young Award more than three times.

22 up: After the Cleveland Indians’ AL-record 22-game winning streak came to an end Friday, a lively

crowd saluted the team with a standing ovation. The Indians came back onto the field and applauded

their fans, after which, pitcher Trevor Bauer offered up an amazing note: Not only had he played on

another team with a 22-game winning streak, he was the losing pitcher when both streaks ended. On

Friday, he and the Indians lost to the Kansas City Royals 4-3. In 2010, when he played at UCLA, he and

the Bruins lost to Stanford 8-4. The 2010 Bruins finished second in the College World Series, to South

Carolina.

Price of relief: David Price’s $217-million contract is the richest for any pitcher in major league history.

What is that worth in the playoffs? One or two innings a game, at least in this October. The Boston Red

Sox plan to try Price, beset by elbow trouble much of the year, as a reliever for the rest of the regular

season, and into the postseason. In 2008, the Tampa Bay Rays called up Price — one year out of

college — and used him in relief in an October run that ended in the Rays’ lone World Series

appearance. He was the winning pitcher in the Rays’ first victory in the AL championship series, and he

got the save in the clincher, as the Rays beat … yes, of course, the Red Sox.

THREE DOWN

Oaktown shuffle: When the Oakland Athletics this week announced a downtown site as their desired

home for a new ballpark, they targeted 2023 for its opening. No one on the current roster might be

playing for the A’s then, but the long time frame reflects cold reality: The mayor wanted the A’s to pick

another location, the neighborhood activists are opposed, the A’s do not control the land and the team

still wants a share of control over the Coliseum site it plans to abandon. Under different management,

September 16, 2017 Page 4 of 24

the A’s in the past dozen years unveiled plans for a new ballpark in Oakland, Fremont and San Jose.

None came to pass. If this one doesn’t work out, the A’s could end up building next to the current

Coliseum — or leaving town.

Brave new world: Much respect to the Minnesota Twins, in position to become the first team to lose

100 games one season and make the playoffs the next season. The Twins’ charge is led by kids: center

fielder Byron Buxton, 23, whose on-base-plus-slugging percentage jumped from .594 in the first half to

.973 in the second half, and shortstop Jorge Polanco, 24, whose OPS jumped from .596 to .940. Not to

pick on first-year general manager Thad Levine, but he actually said this the other day on ESPN 1500 in

Minneapolis: “We are aspirational of being a playoff-relevant team moving forward.” He’s not the only

one among this uber-educated generation of executives that could use a course from Ned Colletti on

speaking to fans in plain English. Mitigating factor: No tanking team tells its fans that it is cutting payroll

but will “do more with less.”

French toast: It has been five years since Frank McCourt, boycotted by fans and pressured by then-

commissioner Bud Selig, sold the Dodgers out of bankruptcy court. Under new ownership, the Dodgers

have won the NL West every year since then. McCourt last year bought the storied French soccer club

Marseille, and the fans there already are disgruntled, with the club in 10th place in a 20-team league

and calls for him to step in and fire the coach. McCourt alienated fans in Los Angeles, but never did they

unfurl signs like the ones at last week’s Marseille game: “Who is the boss in this club? McCourt, get your

balls out!” The signs were in English, to make sure he got the message.

SERIES OF THE WEEK

TWINS AT YANKEES

Monday through Wednesday

If the playoffs started today, this would be the American League wild-card matchup.

The Yankees probably would want Luis Severino (13-6, 2.93) to start and could arrange their rotation

accordingly; the Twins might need their best pitchers in the final week of the regular season in trying to

hold off the Angels for the second wild-card spot. In this series, the Yankees could start two pitchers

acquired in trade: Sonny Gray, who came from Oakland and has given up more than two earned runs

once in eight starts for New York, and Jaime Garcia. The Atlanta Braves traded Garcia to the Twins in

July; Minnesota flipped him to the Yankees after believing it might fall out of contention. Garcia started

one game for the Twins and won; he has started six games for the Yankees and won none.

Angels need a five-run rally to hold off Rangers in wild-card battle

By Pedro Moura

The baseball landed in between the men left standing in Angel Stadium’s home bullpen, an

appropriate resting place for the decisive hit in a game defined by relievers. C.J. Cron had anticipated

the two-strike slider hurtling his way, and he timed it just right.

September 16, 2017 Page 5 of 24

Cron’s teammates 427 feet from home plate celebrated as his two-run home run grazed the edge of

their dirt mound. It was the sixth inning, but the Angels had what they needed to secure a tense 7-6

victory over Texas on Friday and gain a game in their seesaw American League wild-card chase. They

trail Minnesota by two games.

“This,” Cron said, “is when baseball gets fun.”

On Thursday afternoon, Bud Norris wondered who would start for the Angels on Friday.

After that night’s game, Angels manager Mike Scioscia approached him in the clubhouse kitchen with

wholly unexpected news: It’d be him.

Norris had started 185 major league games but not one in 2017. He was this team’s closer for much of

the season. So it was a curious choice. But someone had to begin the parade from the Angels’ bullpen in

the team’s quest to replace the injured Andrew Heaney.

The ordering seemed to work. Norris needed only seven pitches to finish the first inning and 10 to

complete the second, helped by Cron’s sliding spear of a Joey Gallo line drive at first base.

After Will Middlebrooks singled to begin the third, Scioscia turned to other relievers. First, he called in

Jose Alvarez, then Blake Wood, Jesse Chavez, Yusmeiro Petit, Cam Bedrosianand, finally, Blake

Parker.

“Our bullpen stubbed their toes a couple times tonight,” Scioscia said. “But the other guys picked it up.”

Facing Rangers right-hander Nick Martinez, the Angels scored first. To begin the fourth, Justin

Upton stroked a double to left-center. With one out, Kole Calhoun bounced a ball on top of the short

wall near the left-field foul pole. Because it boomeranged back onto the field, it went as an RBI double,

despite Scioscia’s protests that it should count as a home run. An Andrelton Simmons single scored

Calhoun, rendering the ruling insignificant.

Texas then matched the Angels’ output in each of the next two innings against Chavez. In the fifth, Gallo

earned a single on a dribbler, Middlebrooks drilled a double to the wall, and Brett Nicholas singled to

score them both. In the sixth, Delino DeShields singled, and Shin-Soo Choo shot a homer onto the tip

of the wall, just a few feet from where Calhoun’s double hit. But Choo’s ball bounced the other way, into

the stands. So, it went as a homer.

The Rangers led 4-2 but only until the bottom of the inning. Mike Trout led off with a single and scored

when Upton doubled again. Calhoun walked, and Simmons singled into right to score Upton and tie the

score. Luis Valbuena hit a sacrifice fly to push the Angels ahead, and Cron sauntered to home plate.

The Angels managed no more offense after his strike. While striking out in the seventh inning, Brandon

Phillips tweaked a muscle in his side and Kaleb Cowart replaced him at second base.

September 16, 2017 Page 6 of 24

Even staked to a three-run lead, Bedrosian found trouble in the eighth, loading the bases without

recording an out. Quickly, Scioscia turned to Parker, his reliever most likely to produce a strikeout.

Parker notched only one strikeout, but he also did not surrender any hits. Two Texas sacrifice flies made

it a one-run game. Left in for another inning with no one warming behind him, Parker retired the

Rangers in order.

“We needed someone to step up tonight,” Simmons said. “He definitely did that.”

Short hops

Reliever Keynan Middleton, who exited a Thursday appearance because of irritation in the ulnar nerve

within his elbow, played catch Friday. Scioscia termed Middleton day-to-day but said he would have to

complete a bullpen session before he could resume pitching in games. … Heaney did not throw Friday

for the third consecutive day. Scioscia said Heaney was waiting for medicine to take hold within his sore

shoulder. … The Angels sent right-hander Elvin Rodriguez to Detroit to complete the teams’ Aug. 31

trade for Upton. Rodriguez, 19, was not highly ranked in the Angels’ farm system but produced solid

statistics in limited innings.

FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Angels gain ground as Blake Parker saves tight victory over Rangers

By Jeff Fletcher

ANAHEIM — As Blake Parker jogged in from the bullpen, facing just about the toughest spot a reliever can

inherit, he was inspired by something more specific than the chance to help his team.

He wanted to bail out one of his brothers in the bullpen.

After Parker entered with the bases loaded and no outs in the eighth, he recorded the final six outs in the

Angels’ 7-6 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday night. He said he was satisfied to help fellow reliever

Cam Bedrosian avoid a disaster.

“We’re a tight-knit group out there,” Parker said. “I think it helps to want to pick each other up. You’re not

always going to have it. That’s what makes it so fun. We pitch for each other, not just for ourselves.”

Parker was the last of seven relievers to work in this bullpen game, the Angels’ answer to Andrew Heaney’s

shoulder impingement. Justin Upton (two doubles), Andrelton Simmons (two RBI singles) and C.J. Cron (a

two-run homer) had the biggest hits for an offense that put up five runs in the sixth inning.

It added up to a victory that pulled the Angels back within two games of the Minnesota Twins in the

American League wild card race, with 15 to play.

The Angels trailed, 4-2, when they came to bat in the sixth, before run-scoring hits from Upton and

Simmons, a sacrifice fly from Luis Valbuena and Cron’s homer put the Angels ahead, 7-4.

September 16, 2017 Page 7 of 24

After three quick outs from Yusmeiro Petit in the seventh, Bedrosian took the mound in the eighth and

couldn’t get an out. He gave up two singles and a walk, before Manager Mike Scioscia came to get him,

summoning Parker an inning earlier than he’d planned.

With the games dwindling, though, this was no time to save any bullets. Parker had pitched just once in

the previous 10 days, so despite his heavy workload throughout the season, the last six outs were all his.

Facing the middle of the Texas order, Parker got Elvis Andrus and Adrian Beltre on run-scoring fly balls,

trimming the lead to 7-6. He then struck out Drew Robinson.

In the ninth, he struck out Joey Gallo and pinch-hitter Willie Calhoun — the key player the Rangers got

from the Dodgers in the Yu Darvish trade. Rougned Odor then hit a line drive into left center, but Mike

Trout flagged it down at the warning track to end it.

After Parker’s most impressive and important performance of his first season with the Angels, his

teammates gushed.

“That was amazing,” Simmons said. “He had a tough job to do the last two innings, but he did amazing. We

needed somebody to step up tonight and help us close out the game, and he definitely did that.”

Added Scioscia: “For him to go out and keep the lead after that eighth inning is huge. He made great

pitches all the way. He showed up big time tonight.”

The only potential issue that arose from the Angels’ victory was Brandon Phillips tweaking his side. Scioscia

said his new second baseman just felt some tightness, and he’d be re-evaluated in the coming days.

As Phillips walked out of the clubhouse, he said: “I’ll be alright.”

Angels Notes: Mike Trout isn’t hitting, but he’s still setting the table in deeper lineup

By Jeff Fletcher

ANAHEIM — Mike Trout continues to struggle in one way, and put up MVP-caliber numbers in another.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia isn’t worried about the former as long as Trout keeps doing the latter.

Coming into Friday night’s game, Trout was hitting .237 over his last 28 games. His on-base percentage

during that span, however, was a robust .426. For the season, he was still hitting .317 with a .455 on-base

percentage.

Scioscia said the Angels can still be productive, even if Trout is doing more walking than hitting, because

they now have a deeper lineup, with the additions of Brandon Phillips and Justin Upton. Phillips hits in

front of Trout and Upton hits behind him.

That’s why Scioscia said he’s not interested in getting Trout to change his approach.

September 16, 2017 Page 8 of 24

“We would never want to impact his table-setting ability, which is the best in baseball,” Scioscia said. “I

don’t think you want to erode that by saying, ‘You’ve got to expand because if you don’t, we’re not going

to get it done.’ You’ve seen guys swing the bat behind Mike when he walks and it’s provided big offense

for us. You want to get your lineup deep to where it becomes a pick-your-poison situation for another

manager.”

The Angels are still scoring at a clip of 5.2 runs per game since Upton and Phillips joined the lineup around

Trout. Albert Pujols has gotten even more RBI opportunities, driving in 13 runs in the first 11 games with

Trout and Upton in front of him.

Trout, of course, would like contribute by getting hits and drawing walks, as he’s done for most of the

season.

“I’m just missing pitches,” Trout said earlier this week. “Some of the pitches I’m swinging at, I’m just a tick

late. Once they throw a pitch I can hit, I’ve got to be swinging at it. I’ve got to be selective, but when the

pitch is there you gotta do some damage with it.”

HEANEY UPDATE

Andrew Heaney has not thrown since Tuesday, when he played catch just “as a baseline to see where he

was,” Scioscia said. Scioscia said Heaney received some medication for the discomfort in his shoulder, and

they are giving it some time.

Diagnosed with a shoulder impingement, Heaney missed his first turn on Friday, when the Angels planned

to start reliever Bud Norris. The Angels could delay his next turn to as late as next Saturday, because of

Monday’s off day. Presumably, Heaney would need to be able to throw a full bullpen session by Thursday

if he is going to be able to start next Saturday.

Scioscia said they won’t push him.

“When he’s ready to throw a bullpen is when he can throw a bullpen,” he said.

ALSO

Keynan Middleton played catch a day after coming out of the game with ulnar nerve irritation. Scioscia

said Middleton felt better quickly after initially reporting the twinge. …

There has been no change in the status of Yunel Escobar, who is trying to come back from a strained

oblique. Escobar has been shut down from baseball activities for several days. He is expected to go to the

Arizona instructional league when he’s ready to see some live pitching. …

The Angels completed the Upton trade by sending Elvin Rodriguez to the Tigers. Rodriguez, 19, was rated

the Angels’ 22nd-best prospect by MLB.com. He has pitched only three games above rookie league. This

season Rodriguez posted a 2.50 ERA in 11 starts at rookie-level Orem. The Angels sent Double-A right-

hander Grayson Long to the Tigers when the deal was first completed on Aug. 31.

September 16, 2017 Page 9 of 24

FROM ANGELS.COM

Bridwell set for first career start vs. Texas

By T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com

Rookie right-hander Parker Bridwell, who gave the Angels' rotation a needed boost this summer, will be

trying to keep his team in the Wild Card running as he faces veteran Rangers left-hander Cole Hamels on

Saturday night.

Both teams are trying to catch the Twins for the second American League Wild Card spot and can't

afford to lose any more ground with just over two weeks left in the season. Entering Saturday, the

Angels were two games back, while the Rangers sat five game back.

Bridwell is 0-1 with a 7.13 ERA in his last five starts but pitched well in his last outing, holding the

Mariners to two runs in six innings on Sunday. The Angels are 14-2 in his 16 starts, although this will be

the first time he has faced the Rangers.

Bridwell was acquired by the Angels from the Orioles on April 17 for future considerations and called to

the big leagues on May 30. Despite being sent to the Minors on three different occasions, his 3.94 ERA is

the seventh best among Major League rookies with at least 10 starts and his 1.27 WHIP is the fifth

lowest.

Hamels is coming off a 5-3 win over the Mariners, allowing three runs in six innings. In his previous three

starts, he had allowed 15 runs, 14 earned, in 15 1/3 innings.

One of those starts was against the Angels on Sept. 1 when he allowed four runs in five innings as the

Rangers slugged their way to a 10-9 victory. He is still 2-0 with a 2.36 ERA in four starts against the

Angels this season and 4-0 with a 2.73 ERA in his last eight starts since being acquired by the Rangers on

July 31, 2015.

"Obviously we're right neck-and-neck, and every win matters," Hamels said. "It's just a matter of

focusing on what we can do and believing in each other."

Things to know about this game

• Entering the series, Angels outfielder Justin Upton was hitting .342 against left-handers this year, the

fifth highest in the American League. He has a .702 slugging percentage against them, which is the

highest against left-handers. That slugging percentage is inflated by 10 home runs in 114 at-bats. He is a

career .271 hitter (13-for-48) against Hamels.

• Robinson Chirinos got the day off on Friday after having reached base safely in 28 consecutive games.

That's the longest active streak in the Major Leagues and the longest by a Rangers player since Elvis

Andrus reached in 32 straight games in 2012.

• Albert Pujols has 37 RBIs over his last 39 games and is four short of 100 for the 14th time in his career.

September 16, 2017 Page 10 of 24

Halos’ 5-run 6th sparks rally, Wild Card rise

By Maria Guardado and T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- C.J. Cron's two-run home run off rookie reliever Ricardo Rodriguezcapped a five-run

sixth inning and propelled the Angels to a 7-6 comeback win over the Rangers in Friday night's series

opener at Angel Stadium.

Shin-Soo Choo briefly gave the Rangers a 4-2 lead with a two-run shot in the top of the sixth, but the

Angels rallied in the bottom half of the inning behind RBI hits fromJustin Upton and Andrelton

Simmons, a sacrifice fly from Luis Valbuena and Cron's 15th home run of the season.

The Rangers scored twice in the eighth to pull within one, but Blake Parkerconverted a six-out save to

seal the Angels' Major League-best 44th comeback victory of the season.

The Angels moved within two games of the Twins for the second American League Wild Card spot

with 15 games left to play, while the Rangers stayed five games back after losing four in a row.

"We're in a big race and every run matters," Cron said. "We want to do whatever we can to make this

playoff run. You can tell by the way the dugout reacts to pretty much every run we score, it's exciting at

this time, and hopefully we can continue playing well."

Bud Norris, Jose Alvarez and Blake Wood combined to pitch four scoreless innings to begin the

Angels' bullpen game, but Jesse Chavez then squandered the Halos' 2-0 lead by allowing a two-run

single to Brett Nicholas in the fifth and a two-run homer to Choo in the sixth. The Angels used a total of

seven relievers in place of the injured Andrew Heaney, with Yusmeiro Petit earning the win after

tossing two clean innings.

Texas right-hander Nick Martinez gave up four runs over 5 1/3 innings in his first start since Aug. 31.

Left fielder Nomar Mazara departed the game in the sixth inning after experiencing left quad

tightness.

Angels second baseman Brandon Phillips was also removed after seven innings with tightness in his

side, but he said afterward that he expects to be "alright."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Simmons shines both ways: The Angels shortstop had a pair of singles with runners in scoring position,

including one in the five-run sixth. Simmons is hitting .310 with runners in scoring position this season,

57 points higher than his .253 career batting average. Simmons also had a couple of outstanding diving

stops to take away hits from Nicholas in the third and Will Middlebrooks in the seventh.

"I've been feeling OK and seeing the ball good, but sometimes you've got to ride that luck when it's not

falling," said Simmons, who entered Friday with just three hits in his last 28 at-bats. "But tonight I felt a

little extra better, especially after the first one fell."

September 16, 2017 Page 11 of 24

Parker limits the damage: Cam Bedrosian entered the game in the eighth with the Angels ahead, 7-4,

but he fell into trouble after yielding back-to-back singles to Nicholas and Delino DeShields and

walking Choo to load the bases with no outs. Manager Mike Scioscia decided to bring in Parker, who

gave up a pair of sacrifice flies to Elvis Andrus and Adrian Beltre but struck out Drew Robinson to

preserve the Angels' 7-6 lead. Parker then came back to pitch a scoreless ninth, ending the game.

"For him to just keep the lead after that eighth inning is huge," Scioscia said. "He made great pitches all

the way. Big strikeout to end the inning and then a clean ninth. Blake, he showed up big time today."

QUOTABLE

"I was trying to keep the team in the game and help us win. Tonight was just a tough one." -- Rangers

starter Martinez

"This is when baseball gets fun. Last year we were out of the playoffs at this time, and it wasn't quite as

fun. I know everyone in this clubhouse wants to win, and we're going to do whatever it takes to do

that." -- Cron, on the Angels' chase for a Wild Card berth

UPON FURTHER REVIEW

In the fourth, Kole Calhoun launched a fly ball to left field that hit off the top of the wall and bounced

back into the outfield for an RBI double. The Angels requested a crew chief review of the play, which

confirmed that the ball did not go out for a home run. Calhoun's double scored Upton with the Angels

first run and Calhoun scored on a single by Simmons.

WHAT'S NEXT

Rangers: Cole Hamels starts against the Angels at 8:07 p.m. CT Saturday in Anaheim. Hamels, who beat

the Mariners in his last outing, is 2-0 with a 2.36 ERA in four starts against the Angels this season.

Angels: Angels right-hander Parker Bridwell (7-2, 3.94 ERA) will take the mound against the Rangers on

Saturday at 6:07 p.m. PT at Angel Stadium. Bridwell, who allowed two runs over six innings in his last

start against the Mariners, will make his first career appearance against Texas.

Parker polishes bullpen’s day with 6-out save

By Maria Guardado / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- Angels right-hander Blake Parker has spent a decade in professional baseball as a reliever,

but entering Friday, he had never been asked to convert a six-out save. That changed when he pitched

the final two innings of the Angels' 7-6 victory over the Rangers at Angel Stadium.

Parker entered the game in the eighth with the Angels ahead, 7-4, and inherited a bases-loaded, no-out

jam created by Cam Bedrosian. He yielded back-to-back sacrifice flies to Elvis Andrus and Adrian

Beltre, which brought the Rangers within one, but he then struck out Drew Robinson swinging keep

the Angels' lead intact.

September 16, 2017 Page 12 of 24

Parker returned to the mound in the ninth and struck out two more batters over a clean inning, sealing

the comeback win and allowing the Angels to move back within two games of the Twins for the

second American League Wild Card spot.

"It was amazing," shortstop Andrelton Simmons said. "He had a tough job to do the last two innings,

but he did amazing. We needed somebody to step up tonight and help us out a little bit to close out the

game, and he definitely did that."

Parker said he felt additional gratification from helping to bail out a fellow reliever.

"We've got a tight-knit group out there," said Parker, who has logged a 2.39 ERA over a career-high 64

innings for the Angels this season. "I think it helps us to want to pick each other up because you're not

always going to have it. I think that's what makes it so fun. We pitch for each other, not just for

ourselves."

Parker's effort capped a busy night for the Angels' bullpen, as the club used seven relievers in place of

left-hander Andrew Heaney, who was scratched from his scheduled start against the Rangers due to a

shoulder impingement. Bud Norrisopened the game with two scoreless innings in his first start since

Aug. 31, 2016, and he then handed it off to Jose Alvarez, Blake Wood, Jesse Chavez, Yusmeiro

Petit, Bedrosian and Parker.

"Our bullpen stubbed their toe a couple times," manager Mike Scioscia said. "But the rest of the guys

picked it up. Blake, he showed up big time today."

Middleton day to day with elbow nerve irritation

By Maria Guardado / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- Angels right-hander Keynan Middleton remains day to day with right ulnar nerve irritation

in his elbow, manager Mike Scioscia said Friday.

Middleton entered Thursday's 5-2 loss to the Astros in the seventh inning and retired Alex

Bregman on four pitches, but Scioscia and team trainer Eric Munson then came out to check on the 24-

year-old rookie after he appeared to be flexing his right arm. Middleton subsequently walked off the

field with Munson and was later evaluated by Dr. Steven Yoon.

Scioscia said afterward that Middleton experienced a "zinger" that subsided quickly.

"As quickly as it came on, it went away," Scioscia said. "He was evaluated last night by Dr. Yoon,

everything checks out. Just a day to day thing. When he's feeling good, he can get back on the mound

and get ready to pitch."

Middleton played catch on Friday and will likely throw a bullpen session before being cleared to return

to action. He has been a key cog in the Angels' bullpen since making his Major League debut in May,

logging a 4.47 ERA over 50 1/3 innings this year.

September 16, 2017 Page 13 of 24

Worth noting

• Left-hander Andrew Heaney (shoulder impingement) has not thrown since playing catch on Tuesday.

Scioscia said Heaney received medication and is "making progress."

"He's taking some medicine, so you want to give that a chance to work," Scioscia said. "Everything from

the MRI looks like it's in place, so it's really just going to be when the discomfort is gone and when he's

ready to pitch again."

The Angels skipped Heaney's turn against the Rangers on Friday, with right-handed reliever Bud

Norris starting in his place.

• The Angels sent right-hander Elvin Rodriguez to the Tigers on Friday to complete their Aug. 31 trade

for Justin Upton. Rodriguez, 19, was ranked the Angels' No. 22 prospect by MLBPipeline.com. He

posted a 2.50 ERA in 11 starts with Rookie-level Orem and finished the season at Class A Burlington.

• The Angels sent over 18,000 pounds of supplies to Houston to aid victims of the devastation caused by

Hurricane Harvey. Infielder Cliff Pennington, a native of Corpus Christi and a resident of Houston, led

the effort in conjunction with the Second Harvest Food Bank, collecting donations from fans, front-office

personnel and players.

A truck carrying the provisions departed Southern California on Friday morning and was en route to First

Baptist Church in Houston, where Pennington attends services in the offseason.

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Angels beat Rangers 7-6, gain ground in AL Wild-Card race

Associated Press

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Blake Parker ran in from the Big A bullpen with the bases loaded and nobody out

in the eighth inning. The Los Angeles closer knew he probably had to pull off a six-out save to preserve a

victory that the Angels really needed in their playoff chase.

Parker and the Angels haven't been in the best situations in September. They still keep getting it done.

C.J. Cron hit a two-run homer to cap the Angels' five-run rally in the sixth inning, and Los Angeles

trimmed its deficit in the AL wild-card race to two games with a 7-6 victory over the Texas Rangers on

Friday night.

Andrelton Simmons had two run-scoring singles for the Angels (75-72), who gained a game on the

Minnesota Twins (77-70) with just their third win in eight games.

September 16, 2017 Page 14 of 24

"This is when baseball gets fun," Cron said. "Last year, we were out of the playoffs at this time, and it

wasn't as much fun."

Given the atrocious injury problems plaguing their patchwork pitching staff, the Angels won this one in a

manner that was somehow fitting. Los Angeles used seven pitchers in a bullpen start, with former closer

Bud Norris getting the first six outs and Yusmeiro Petit (5-0) pitching two perfect innings after Jesse

Chavez blew an early two-run lead.

Parker then had to come in early after Cam Bedrosian allowed three straight Rangers to reach base in

the eighth with a 7-4 lead.

"We have a really tight-knit group in the bullpen, and it makes us want to pick each other up," Parker

said. "You want to come in and throw quality strikes, just try to minimize the damage."

Elvis Andrus and Adrian Beltre drove in runs with sacrifice flies, but Parker kept the Angels ahead. He

finished his sixth save - the first six-out save of his career - when Mike Trout made a sprinting catch on

Rougned Odor's liner.

"That was huge, obviously," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said of Parker. "For him to just keep the lead

after that eighth inning is huge. He made great pitches all night. Blake showed up big-time today."

SLIPPING RANGERS

Shin-Soo Choo hit a two-run homer in the sixth for Texas (72-75). The Rangers have lost four straight and

six of seven, their playoff hopes down to a flicker.

"I'm proud of our guys and the way they continue to battle," Texas manager Jeff Banister said. "They

came up, really, one out short. There was good energy in the dugout and on the field. We just could not

get the outs we needed in the sixth."

Brett Nicholas drove in two runs for Texas, and Nick Martinez pitched six-hit ball into the sixth inning.

Yohander Mendez (0-1) took the loss.

TIDE TURNED

Choo connected for his 19th homer in the sixth off Chavez to put the Rangers up 4-2, but Los Angeles

answered with three run-scoring drives off three pitchers. Justin Upton doubled home Trout and scored

on Simmons' tying single before Luis Valbuena's sacrifice fly put the Angels up 5-4.

Cron added his 15th homer moments later, a 427-foot shot into the bullpens beyond left field.

TIGHTENED RACE

The Angels lost ground in the playoff race during their recent malaise, but managed to claw back one

game after the Twins lost to Toronto earlier Friday. Los Angeles is six games behind the wild card-leading

Yankees (81-66).

September 16, 2017 Page 15 of 24

STARTER BUD

Norris made his first start since Aug. 31, 2016, after the Angels decided to use their bullpen for the start

in place of Andrew Heaney, who had to skip his turn in the rotation due to injury.

"I'd love to do it (again)," Norris said. "I just want to help this team get in the playoffs and make a run at

it."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Rangers: OF Carlos Gomez is taking batting practice less than a week after spraining his right ankle. The

club is hopeful he can return before the season ends.

Angels: 2B Brandon Phillips left the game before the eighth inning after feeling tightness in his side on a

swing during the seventh. Scioscia isn't sure of the injury's severity.

UP NEXT

Rangers: Cole Hamels (10-3, 4.05 ERA) has allowed 17 earned runs over 21 1/3 innings in his last four

starts, but is 4-1 in his career against the Angels.

Angels: Parker Bridwell (7-2, 3.94 ERA) continues his improbable run in the rotation with his 17th start.

The Angels are 14-2 when the unheralded April acquisition from Baltimore takes the mound.

FROM YAHOO SPORTS!

Rangers, Angels still in AL playoff chase

By STATS/TSX

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Parker Bridwell will take the mound for the Los Angeles AngelsSaturday night

against the Texas Rangers, smack dab in the middle of a playoff push.

And it's difficult to imagine which was more unlikely -- that the Angels are still in the mix for a playoff

berth, or that Bridwell is an important part of the club's starting rotation.

In fact, Bridwell, 26, has been a key part of the Angels' push, getting a chance because of the club's

troubles with the starting rotation, from injuries to a lack of production.

He was acquired for cash considerations from the Baltimore Orioles in April and spent the first two

months of the season at Triple-A Salt Lake. He didn't make his first start with the Angels until May 30.

He's gone 7-2 with a 3.94 ERA in 17 games (16 starts), which is more than the Angels could have hoped

for, despite a recent proverbial bump in the road. In consecutive starts Aug. 30 and Sept. 4, both against

Oakland, Bridwell got hammered.

September 16, 2017 Page 16 of 24

He gave up 13 runs and 13 hits in just six innings, lasting only three innings in each start. He bounced

back in his most recent start, allowing two runs in six innings against Seattle last Sunday, a start more

reflective of his season.

It was an important performance for a young pitcher like Bridwell, finding a way to bounce back from

adversity.

"I know exactly what I was doing wrong now," Bridwell said. "Go back and watch film, do my routine, I'm

not going to change anything. Go about my work the same way, and I'll be better."

Bridwell, who has never faced the Rangers, is matched up against Rangers left-hander Cole Hamels, a

pitcher who knows all about big games. He was the World Series MVP for the Phillies in 2008 when he

was just 24.

Hamels has been solid this season, going 10-3 with a 4.05 ERA in 20 starts, including going 2-0 with a

2.36 ERA in four starts against the Angels.

While the Rangers still have hopes of making the playoffs as a wild card, they will rely on the experience

of guys like Hamels, and also Adrian Beltre, who has returned to the lineup despite a hamstring injury

that was expected to keep him out to the rest of the season.

Beltre suffered a Grade 2 strain of his left hamstring on Aug. 31, an injury that typically requires a

recovery time of 4-6 weeks. Instead, Beltre returned as a pinch hitter less than two weeks later on

Wednesday, then was in the lineup as the designated hitter on Thursday and Friday, going a combined 1

for 6. He is likely to remain the DH and not play in the field the rest of the way.

"Obviously the situation is not ideal for us," Beltre told mlb.com. "There's no tomorrow. There's no

waiting any longer. A lot of my teammates are playing with injuries, so why can't I?"

Playoff percentages: Angels, Rangers continue to fall back of WC

By Brandon Wile, theScore

Through the remainder of the regular season, we'll take a look at how the night's action impacts the

playoff races, highlighting which teams' postseason odds went up or down significantly.

The race for the American League wild card isn't shaping up to be so historic after all.

The Minnesota Twins stretched their winning streak to three games Thursday with a 3-2 walk-off win

over the Toronto Blue Jays to extend their lead over the Los Angeles Angels to three games for the

second wild card. The Twins' odds of reaching the playoffs is now at 77.3 percent.

Los Angeles found themselves within one game on Sept. 11, but have fallen back after dropping two of

its last three games and see its playoff percentage at just 11.

September 16, 2017 Page 17 of 24

The Texas Rangers, meanwhile, remain a long shot to reach the postseason for a third straight season.

The club dropped a third consecutive game Thursday and find themselves with just a 2.6-percent chance

of playing in the wild-card game.

American League

TEAM RESULT PLAYOFF PCT CHANGE

Twins W 3-2 vs. Blue Jays 77.3% +11.1%

Angels L 5-2 vs. Astros 11% -6.6%

Rangers L 10-4 vs. Mariners 2.6% -3.3%

The Chicago Cubs watched their playoff odds increase to 90.8 percent following a dominant three-

game sweep of the New York Mets in which they outscored the visitors 39-14.

The St. Louis Cardinals continue to hold an outside shot at playing October baseball after beating the

Cincinnati Reds. St. Louis sits two games back of the Cubs in the NL Central and 3 1/2 games back of the

Colorado Rockies in the NL wild-card race.

National League

TEAM RESULT PLAYOFF PCT CHANGE

Cubs W 14-6 vs. Mets 80.8% 6.1%

Rockies L 7-0 vs. Diamondbacks 79.6% -6.7%

Cardinals W 5-2 vs. Reds 23.2% 3.6%

Brewers Did not play 16.4% -3.0%

September 16, 2017 Page 18 of 24

FROM CBS SPORTS

Albert Pujols is the slowest player in MLB, and defenses are treating him like it

The Astros showed Pujols and his wheels no respect

By R.J. Anderson

Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Albert Pujols is one of the best hitters ever. Alas, he's having a

miserable season -- and it might be getting worse by the day.

Pujols is batting .247/.291/.397 -- marks good for an 84 OPS+. His 96 runs batted in are the only thing

saving him from being regarded as a lost cause by analytical and old school fans alike. Even then, there's

reason to believe he's authoring the worst 100-RBI season of all time. Ouch.

But the greatest indignity of Pujols' season might've come on Thursday night, when the Houston

Astros aligned their defense like so during his at-bats:

That's an extreme overshift -- nothing, too unusual … except the infielders are playing way, way, way

back. How far back? Shortstop Carlos Correa was stationed roughly 200 feet away at the beginning of a

Pujols groundout:

The Astros showed no respect or regard for Pujols' wheels -- and why would they? Statcast tracks this

metric called Sprint Speed that is an attempt to capture the fastest and slowest players. Pujols ranks

444th in baseball -- that's out of 444 players. Pujols is literally the slowest player in the majors, to the

extent that it's unclear if a well-placed bunt would allow him to reach first base before the pitcher or

catcher could make a play on the ball.

Pujols has had a great career. He's worth remembering as one of the best to ever do it. But these are

ugly, ugly times.

Rangers, Angels hope to stay competitive in wild-card race

By STATS

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Angels and Texas Rangers are running out of time in their quest to

reach the postseason. The teams will try to find some momentum beginning Friday when they open a

three-game series at Anaheim Stadium.

The Angels (74-72) owned a half-game lead for the second American League wild card on Sept. 5, but

they dropped five of their past seven to fall three games back of the Minnesota Twins (77-69) for the

final AL playoff spot.

The Rangers (72-74) have lost five of their past six and sit five games behind the Twins.

September 16, 2017 Page 19 of 24

"I believe in this team," Angels second baseman Brandon Phillips told the Orange County Register.

"We're not giving up. We can't keep our heads down. We've got to go out day by day and get wins.

Regardless of what everybody else is doing, we've got to think about ourselves and get as many wins as

possible."

Los Angeles is coming off a 5-2 loss to the visiting Astros on Thursday, as Houston took two of three in

the series.

Texas dropped the final three games of a four-game home series against the Mariners, with Seattle

taking the finale 10-4 on Thursday.

On the plus side for the Rangers, they are getting healthier.

Adrian Beltre was the designated hitter for Thursday, two weeks after sustaining a Grade 2 hamstring

strain that initially was expected to keep him out at least four weeks. He went 1-for-3.

"I believe I'm good enough to be out there and contribute," Beltre told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram

after the loss. "Obviously, the situation is not ideal for us. There's no tomorrow. A lot of my teammates

are playing injured."

Rangers first baseman Mike Napoli has a stress reaction in his lower right leg, but he returned to the

lineup Thursday after missing three games and went 0-for-2.

On Friday, Texas right-hander Nick Martinez (3-6, 5.40 ERA) will make his first start since posting an 0-3

record and 7.17 ERA over four starts in August.

Martinez has since thrown 2 2/3 innings of relief in two appearances, most recently allowing four runs

and five hits in two-thirds of an inning of a 16-7 loss to the New York Yankees on Sunday.

The fifth starter role was previously held by A.J. Griffin, but he was demoted to the bullpen after

delivering four consecutive sub-par outings.

Martinez is 2-3 in his career against the Angels with a 2.79 ERA. Seven of his nine appearances against

Los Angeles have been as a starter.

Martinez started against the Angels on April 28 and allowed three runs and five hits with seven

strikeouts in six innings of a 6-3 loss in Arlington, Texas. Mike Trout went 2-for-3 off Martinez with a

two-run homer, and he is 5-for-17 with two home runs in his career off the righty.

The Angels will turn to veteran right-hander Bud Norris (2-5, 4.25 ERA). A former starter, Norris has

made all 56 appearances this season out of the bullpen, mainly as late-inning specialist. He is 2-2 with a

4.33 ERA in 10 games (three starts) against Texas, including two saves in 7 1/3 shutout innings covering

five games this season.

September 16, 2017 Page 20 of 24

"Hopefully, Bud will get us off on the right foot," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "We'll have a bunch

of guys backing him up whenever he's done. ... We're obviously not looking for him to go five or six

innings."

Left-hander Andrew Heaney would have been in line for the start, but he left his last outing Saturday

due to tightness in his throwing shoulder, which was later diagnosed as a shoulder impingement.

Scioscia said Heaney is progressing but has not been scheduled to throw a bullpen session.

Heaney is 1-2 with a 7.06 ERA in five starts since returning from Tommy John surgery.

Football’s back, but there’s a lot going on in MLB this weekend you should watch

What MLB series should you be following this weekend? A lot will be in play

By STATS/Matt Snyder

Our glorious marathon is nearing its grand finale. There are but three weekends left in the 2017 Major

League Baseball season. Some races for postseason spots are all but over, one is definitely over and

several are up for grabs. Let's run it all down right here in preparation for what will be an outstanding

weekend of baseball viewing.

Divisional races

The Red Sox hold a three-game lead over the Yankees in the AL East and their magic number is 14.

The Indians basically have the AL Central locked down with a 13 1/2-game lead over the Twins. It's a

formality to clinch the division and it'll happen soon, as their magic number is three.

The Astros' magic number in the AL West is also three, and they have a 14-game lead over the Angels.

The Nationals have already clinched the NL East. They trail the Dodgers by 4 1/2 games for the best

record in the NL.

The Cubs hold just a three-game lead over both the Brewers and the Cardinals with a magic number

of 14.

In the NL West, the Dodgers have a 9 1/2-game lead and a magic number of seven over

the Diamondbacks.

Wild cards

The Yankees are in little danger of missing the playoffs. They have a three-game lead over the Twins for

the top AL spot and a six-game lead over the Angels for a playoff spot.

The second AL spot is contested for sure, but I'm not certain we can call it hotly contested anymore. The

Twins hold a three-game lead over the Angels and 3 1/2 over the Mariners.

September 16, 2017 Page 21 of 24

The Royals and Rangers are within five while the Orioles and Rays are 5 1/2 back with several teams

in the way.

Over in the NL, the Diamondbacks are surely in, with a 7 1/2 game cushion for a playoff spot and a five-

game lead over the Rockies for the home spot. The Rockies lead both the Cardinals and Brewers by 2

1/2 games. Note the lead is less than the Cubs' lead in the NL Central, so there's a bit of a mish-mash

here.

Weekend series of note

Indians streaking! The Indians have won 22 in a row. Have you heard? Yeah, their series with the Royals

that started on Thursday night definitely bears watching.

NL Central rivalry. The Cardinals at the Cubs. That's always fun, but now the NL Central lead could be

hanging in the balance. The series starts with a matinee on Friday. We don't know how it'll go, but we do

know the Cardinals will leave Wrigley Field either tied, trailing by two games, trailing by four games or

down by six. The two middle results are obviously the most likely, but it's a wide spread.

"Away" games at home. When you check the scoreboard and see "Brewers at Marlins" but then see

them playing at Miller Park on TV, don't fret. The series has been moved from Miami to Milwaukee due

to Hurricane Irma. It's a big one, too, because of the NL Central and NL wild card races. The combatants

from Wrigley Field will be watching closely.

NLCS preview? The Nationals host the Dodgers and it doesn't seem like it matters a ton, but these are

the top two teams in the NL. Plus, if the Nationals sweep the Dodgers, they are only 1 1/2 games behind

L.A. for the top NL seed. That's something.

AL East encounters. The Orioles visit the Yankees while the Rays host the Red Sox. Obviously we've got

the AL East implications here but the Orioles and Rays both have an outside shot at a wild-card spot.

Now's the time to get hot.

AL West encounters. The Astros are not only looking to nail down the AL West, but they now trail the

Indians by 2 1/2 games for the top AL seed. Having to face the Red Sox instead of a wild-card team

seems like a huge difference, so surely the Astros would like to run that spot back down. They host the

wild-card hopeful Mariners while the Rangers visit the Angels.

Watching the Twins. The Twins hosting the Blue Jays isn't a big series in and of itself, but about half

the AL is going to be pulling for a Jays sweep here.

Can Rockies take care of business? Don't get lost fully in the NL Central race if the Rockies lose a few

games to the Padres. Remember, heading into the weekend the Cardinals and Brewers are actually

closer to the Rockies than the Cubs.

September 16, 2017 Page 22 of 24

FROM DETROIT FREE PRESS

Detroit Tigers acquire Angels prospect to complete Justin Upton deal

By Anthony Fenech

The Detroit Tigers have made another lottery pick.

This pick, a young right-hander named Elvin Rodriguez, comes from the Los Angeles Angels to complete

the Aug. 31 trade of leftfielder Justin Upton. Rodriguez was selected by the Tigers as the Player To Be

Named Later in the deal.

Rodriguez, 19, was signed by the Angels out of the Dominican Republic in 2014. In three minor league

seasons, he has posted a 2.94 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. He has not pitched beyond Class A.

Rodriguez stands 6 feet 3 and weighs 160 pounds.

This season, he posted a 2.91 ERA and 1.16 WHIP, with 61 strikeouts in 68 innings between Class A

Burlington and rookie ball. He is a projectable righty whom the Tigers hope will physically develop into a

big league starting pitcher.

According to MLBPipeline.com, who ranked Rodriguez as the No. 22 prospect in the Angels' system,

his fastball sits at 89 m.p.h. and he also throws a curveball and change-up.

The acquisition fits the profile of a Player To be Named Later: Rodriguez is an upside play and one the

Tigers are willing to be patient with as he progresses physically.

The final deal: Tigers trade Upton to the Angels for righty pitching prospect Grayson

Long and Rodriguez.

FROM REUTERS

Cron’s HR powers Angels past Rangers

By Reuters Staff

Cron’s HR powers Angels past Rangers

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Truth be told, the Los Angeles Angels would not be in the middle of a playoff push if

not for their bullpen.

Time and again, the relief corps has rescued a starting rotation that has struggled for much of the

season. On Friday night against the Texas Rangers, the group came to the rescue once again.

Only this time, there was no starter to save. This time, the bullpen handled the entire game in a 7-6

victory at Angel Stadium.

September 16, 2017 Page 23 of 24

C.J. Cron’s two-run homer capped a five-run sixth inning, and the Angels also got offensive help from

Justin Upton, who doubled twice, drove in one run and scored twice. Andrelton Simmons had two

singles and two RBIs.

A big night from the offense was something for which the Angels were particularly hopeful, considering

they went into the game without a starting pitcher.

It was Andrew Heaney’s turn in the rotation, but Heaney is out with a shoulder impingement that forced

him from his start last Saturday in Seattle. The Angels decided to go with a bullpen “relay,” beginning

the game with closer Bud Norris, who went two-plus innings before passing the baton.

In all, the Angels used seven pitchers to get through the nine innings. Blake Parker pitched the final two

innings for his sixth save. Yusmeiro Petit (5-0) worked two scoreless innings to get the win.

“I’ve been saying it all year, we’ve got a tight-knit group out there, out in the bullpen,” said Parker, who

leads the club with 67 appearances. “We pal around, we mess around, and I think it helps us to want to

pick each other up. Because you’re not always going to have it, and I think that’s what makes it so fun.

We have a good time with it, we pitch for each other, not just for ourselves.”

The victory allowed the Angels to close the gap in the race for the second American League wild-card

spot, moving within two games of the Minnesota Twins, who lost Friday to Toronto. The Rangers, still

with an outside shot, remained five games out.

Nick Martinez (3-7) started for Texas and gave up four runs, six hits and one walk in 5 1/3 innings. Brett

Nicholas had two hits and two RBIs for the Rangers from the No. 9 spot, and Will Middlebrooks had two

hits. Shin-Soo Choo hit a two-run homer.

Cron’s homer in the sixth inning was his 15th of the season and gave the Angels a 7-4 lead, but that lead

was threatened in the eighth.

Cam Bedrosian entered the game on the mound for the Angels and the Rangers loaded the bases with

no outs on two singles and a walk. Parker replaced Bedrosian and gave up consecutive sacrifice flies to

Elvis Andrus and Adrian Beltre -- both runs charged to Bedrosian -- as the Rangers got within 7-6.

In the ninth, Parker struck out the first two batters before he retired Rougned Odor on a fly ball to end

it.

“That was amazing,” Simmons said of Parker’s performance. “He had a tough job to do the last two

innings, but he did amazing. We needed somebody to step up tonight and help close out the game and

he definitely did that.”

Though one might think the Rangers would have an edge in a game where the Angels didn’t have a

pitcher that threw more than two innings, Rangers manager Jeff Banister said such a scenario presented

challenges to his hitters.

September 16, 2017 Page 24 of 24

”Lack of multiple looks, you can’t settle in on any one single pitcher,“ Banister explained. ”That’s the

main challenge. It’s a situation where we’ve seen most of these pitchers already, but when you continue

to change, it’s a different look.

“They’re all professional hitters, but they did a great job of really locking in. We hit some balls the other

way, we hit some balls hard, Choo hit the home run, but they also made some nice plays on some hard-

hit balls.”

Martinez held the Angels scoreless on one hit through three innings before Upton led off the fourth with

a double. One out later, Kole Calhoun hit one off the top of the short wall down the line in left field for

an RBI double.

Simmons followed with a single to right field, driving in Calhoun for a 2-0 Angels lead.

The Angels, meanwhile, were effective with their bullpen approach in the early innings. Norris, who

leads the club with 19 saves, started and pitched two perfect innings before giving up a leadoff single in

the third.

Jose Alvarez entered the game and retired all four batters he faced, handing the ball to Blake Wood with

one out in the fourth. Wood retired both batters he faced to finish the inning.

Jesse Chavez started the fifth but gave up an infield single to Joey Gallo and a double to Middlebrooks

with one out. With runners on second and third, Chavez struck out Odor, but Nicholas singled to left,

driving in both runners to tie the score at 2.

Choo’s homer off Chavez in the top of the sixth gave the Rangers a brief 4-2 lead before the Angels

rallied in the bottom of the inning, leaving the Rangers on the verge of falling out of the playoff picture.

“These guys continue to go out, there’s great energy in the dugout, they played well on the field,”

Banister said of his club. “I thought we made some nice plays on defense, we ran the bases well, and we

took some good at-bats. It just was a situation where we could not get outs when we needed to in the

sixth.”

NOTES: Angels CF Mike Trout went 1-for-4 with a single, continuing his personal trend of struggling in

the last month of the season. In 13 September games, Trout is hitting .244 (11-for-45) with one homer

and two RBIs. For his career, Trout has a .278 batting average and .920 OPS in September/October --

numbers that are worse for him than any other month of the season. ... Rangers 1B/DH Mike Napoli will

be limited to pinch hitting and possibly an occasional start at DH because of stress reaction in his lower

right leg. The injury flared up in the past few weeks but has reached a point where playing in the field is

not an option. ... Rangers C Robinson Chirinos was not in the starting lineup, getting a day off for rest. He

has reached base in 28 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the majors and sixth longest in

the American League this season.