Week ahead for Angels: 3-game series with NYY; start nine-game road trip
The week ahead
Hello, New York. The Bronx Bombers make their first visit to Angel Stadium in the post Derek Jeter era. The Yankees will be in town for three beginning Monday. The series finale Wednesday is a national TV affair and will start at 4:05pm. Thursday will be a travel day for the club to head out on a nine-game road trip that will carry them to the All-Star break. The trip begins in Texas where the team, likely, will face former teammate Josh Hamilton for the first time. The former Angel is currently on a rehab assignment after being placed on the 15-day DL with a left hamstring strain. Hamilton is expected to be activated early this week. Since being traded back to Texas in late April, Hamilton has appeared in just seven games with the Rangers. He's hitting .273 with two home runs and five RBI.
The week behind
It was a successful week for the Angels. Two teams that are looking up at the Angels in the American League West standings came to town and the Halos were able to win series against both of them. The week began with the Angels taking two of three from the Astros, including a 13-inning win in the series finale last Wednesday. The team then took two of three from the Mariners. That series featured a rubber match that ended in extra innings as well, with the Angels winning on a walk-off wild pitch.
Record and standings
The Angels enter Monday 39-37 on the year and have moved up to second place in the AL West, four games behind the first place Astros. The Angels also have a one-game lead over Texas.
Thumb's up
Taylor Featherston showed he, too, can have a flair for the dramatic. The first hit of his career at Angel Stadium came in walk-off fashion. Featherston had a walk-off single for the Angels in the team's 2-1, 13-inning, series clinching win over the Astros.
Thumb's down
It's amazing that it doesn't happen more, but unfortunately it happened last Saturday during the Angels 4-2 win over Seattle. During warm-ups before the start of the seventh inning, a ball sailed into the Mariners dugout and hit Robinson Cano in the head. The Seattle second baseman had to leave the game with dizziness and also had a huge bump on his head. He passed the MLB's concussion protocol and was back in the lineup Sunday after a moment that was so scary, Angels first baseman Albert Pujols visibly cringed when it happened, throwing his glove down in the process.
Player to watch
Andrew Heaney. The No. 1 prospect in the Angels organization entering this season made his Angels debut last week and is slated to start again on Tuesday against the Yankees. Heaney was called up earlier this week and inserted into the Angels rotation after Jered Weaver was placed on the 15-day DL.
Stat to watch
Hector Santiago went head-to-head with Felix Hernandez on Sunday. Although he didn't factor in the decision, Santiago was able to keep the Angels in the game. Santiago went seven innings and allowed just three hits and one earned run. It marked the ninth time in his last 14 starts that Santiago has allowed one earned run or fewer.
