By Jeff Flinn - AngelsWin.com Contributor
Raves:
Bourjos is getting comfortable at the plate in hitting .308 over his past 35 at bats, has struck out just 4 times in that same period including zero times in his past 6 games, and has had 5 extra base hits (2 doubles, 1 triple, 2 home runs) in that same period. He now has SEVEN OF assists in only 23 games, including two last night. Don't worry about the lower SBs count, he's still learning the pickoff moves, and as it is he has still stolen 4 out of 5 in those 23 games.
Abreu finally ended his slide with a home run. Matsui and Bourjos also helped out with home runs as the Halos had 3 home runs in one inning (the 6th).
Props to Bourjos for ending the Halos scoreless innings drought going back to Friday night.
The Angels hit more home runs last night (3) against the Mariners than they did all last week (2).
Santana pitched well before tiring in the 7th and 8th innings.
Jepsen got a critical out in the 8th, and is slowly getting back the success he had in the 2nd half of 2009 and in April of this season.
Hunter had a pair of hits.
Rivera showed some alertness backing up one drive that eluded Bourjos (appearing to have taken a strange direction past Bourjos), and throwing out an M's baserunner.
Rants:
Not many last night, and I hope this isn't a one time thing like last Wednesday was.
The Halos started slowly against yet another young pitcher, before finally breaking through in the 6th inning.
Callaspo went 0-5 in his first leadoff appearance as a Halos player. He still doesn't strike out much though, a good trait for a leadoff man to have. But his speed is a definite question mark for the leadoff spot.
Rodney had a shaky 9th inning.
Mathis continues to make even Bob Uecker's hitting in the 1960s look Ruthian in comparison, and Uecker played in a tougher era for hitters. Mathis is hitting a robust Buck Sixty-Three since returning from the DL in mid-June, and continues to struggle some with preventing WPs.