How the Angels won (09/13): Weaver strikes out 12 in vintage outing
Angels' ace Jered Weaver dazzled in one of his finest performances of the season while Mike Trout teed off on the Astros pitching in Saturday night's 5-2 win at Angel Stadium.
Weaver became the first pitcher in the American League to reach 17 wins, doing so in a four-hit, one-run performance, highlighted by 12 strikeouts to match his career-high. It was vintage Weaver and the best manager Mike Scioscia has seen from him since the 2009 season.
"Tonight, his stuff was exceptional," Scioscia said. "I don't know if I've seen Weave throw like this for, I'm going back five years. He had great life on his fastball, spun the ball like he usually does, his changeup was a big part of his game and his fastball command early was what he does with velocity.
"That's a great game from Weave."
It was the 10th-straight win for the Angels who haven't had a streak of that length since their World Series-winning 2002 season. Their MLB-best record of 93-55 keeps them 11 games ahead of the A's and shrinks the magic number needed to clinch the AL West to just four games.
Studs of the Game: Weaver (17-8) was exceptionally sharp right from the first pitch, commanding all four pitches with good velocity on his fastball, touching the low 90s a few times early. He threw only two balls through the first two innings and 75 percent of his 101 pitches were strikes.
It's an especially encouraging start with the playoffs around the corner.
"I think it was just being able to locate. I've been hit-or-miss this year and I haven't really been the pitcher that I would like to be," Weaver said. "My mindset has been trying to get back to where I know I can be and we saw a sign of it tonight."
Video: Angels Mailbag: Mike Scioscia
The staff ace and clubhouse leader since his rookie season in 2006 has been a steadying influence for the Halos in turbulent times. This season, with it's dramatic highs, lows and standings shifts he's struggled to go deep into outings at times but still has still been one of the most consistent pitchers in the league.
"Not too many people give him credit but you look up and he has 17 wins," catcher Hank Conger said. "He's been anchoring us the whole year. There's obviously been times where he hasn't been 100 percent but he's always been able to go out there and just fight through some things."
When Weaver is on the mound, the Angels always know they have a chance.
"Every time he takes that mound every fifth day, you know there's a kind of stability and a consistency," Conger said.
Trout homered in back-to-back at-bats and doubled in his third, going 3-for-3 with three runs scored. It took three at-bats for the Astros to finally pitch around Trout, who received an ovation and "MVP" chants each time he was up.
Dud of the Game: Houston had a chance until the seventh inning when their bullpen opened the doors for the Halos and L.A. took advantage. Needing some extra insurance, Pujols worked a bases-loaded walk before Kendrick singled home Kole Calhoun and Trout scored on an RBI groundout by Erick Aybar.
Key Moments: The seventh inning showed what is perhaps the most impressive aspect of the Angels club: Their ability to provide that extra push when needed. Be it on the mound, when Weaver pitched around a runner in scoring position in the top of the inning, or on at the plate when they needed insurance runs.
Key Stats: The Angels are one game away from matching the longest winning streak in club history.
They said it: Weaver struck out 12, but that's not really the goal anymore.
"I think the only time I was trying to strike people out was my first couple years in the big leagues," he said. 'I've had to change my approach and I just kind of take strikeouts as they come."
What's next: The series against the Astros concludes Sunday afternoon. Hector Santiago has yet to put a good outing together against Houston (0-1, 6.59 ERA in four games) and will attempt to feed off the momentum the Angels have built up during this torrid stretch.
