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 Shoemaker, signed six years ago as an undrafted free agent,
continued to give the Los Angeles Angels more bang for their buck
with yet another dominant performance Tuesday night at Angel
Stadium.
Shoemaker, who is making slightly more ($500,500) than the major
league minimum of $500,000, shut out the Miami Marlins on two hits
over seven innings in the Angels' 8-2 win.
Shoemaker (13-4) began the season in the Angels' bullpen and has
been sent down to the minors twice this season, but has become an
invaluable piece to the rotation, something not too many could have
predicted.
"Although we don't have a crystal ball, you know that some guys are
just waiting for an opportunity," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.
"Matt has always been very confident, he pitched very well at the
minor league level, had a great year at the Double-A level three
years ago. He's been waiting for this opportunity. "It's tough enough to make it to the major leagues, but to make a
footprint is a totally different chapter in your development and he
is making the most of getting the baseball every fifth day. It's
great to see."
Shoemaker (13-4) was coming off his best performance of the season,
when he shut out the Red Sox on one hit over 7 2/3 innings. He
hasn't allowed a run in 16 1/3 consecutive innings, dating back to
Aug. 16.
He has been as consistent as any Angels pitcher, allowing two earned
runs or fewer in 12 of his 16 starts, and three earned runs or fewer
in 14 of 16.
Tuesday he struck out six, including two against Marlins right
fielder Giancarlo Stanton. And he might be the only one who is not
surprised by what he's done given the chance.
"To be honest with you, yeah," Shoemaker said when asked if he
believed he could pitch this well in the big leagues. "I've wanted
to play baseball for so long. If you want to feel like you belong,
you want to keep getting better each day, and build off each day."
Of course, it helps to get the kind of support the Angels offense
gave him Tuesday, an offense which has struggled since the All-Star
break but broke out for 16 hits against Marlins starter Nathan
Eovaldi (6-9) and two relievers.
Center fielder Trout, first baseman Albert Pujols and third baseman
David Freese each had three hits to lead the way, as everyone in the
Angels starting lineup -- other than Josh Hamilton -- had at least
one hit.
Six different Angels had at least one RBI, including Pujols and left
fielder Efren Navarro, who had two apiece.
"We had a couple great at-bats tonight from everybody, everybody
contributed," said Trout, who reached base four times and got his
92nd RBI of the season. "Before the All-Star break, you saw what our
bats can do."
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Coupled with Oakland's loss to Houston, the Angels moved one game ahead of
the A's for first place in the American League West and reclaimed the
best record in the majors at 78-53.
The Marlins scored their only runs of the game with two outs in the
ninth off Angels right-hander Yoslan Herrera. First baseman Garrett
Jones doubled and scored on a double by catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia.
Shortstop Ed Lucas followed with a single to score Saltalamacchia, but
it was far too little, too late, given the hole Eovaldi put the Marlins
in early in the game.
"He's leaving too many pitches up in the zone and that's been going on
for a few starts now," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. "He's going to
need to make an adjustment, maybe pitch inside a little bit more and
keep guys off his fastball. His last couple starts have been tough."
Eovaldi gave up six runs on 10 hits and one walk in 3 1/3 innings,
putting a strain on the bullpen.
"It's definitely concerning," Redmond said. "Three innings makes it
tough to win a ballgame. We're in crunch time where every start is big
and every one of these games is big. It's a missed opportunity for us.
We have to have guys step up in log those innings. It puts a tough toll
on the bullpen when you have to lean on them for six innings."
NOTES: Marlins RHP Bryan Morris returned to Miami on Tuesday to have his
right hip examined. Morris started to feel discomfort in the hip after
his Saturday outing in Colorado. ... With 150 career homers, Marlins RF
Giancarlo Stanton is four shy of tying Dan Uggla's franchise mark of
154. Only two active players -- Albert Pujols (24 years, 212 days) and
Alex Rodriguez (24, 255) -- reached 150 career homers at a younger age
than Stanton, who did it at 24 years and 290 days. ... Angels LHP Wade
LeBlanc was designated for assignment, one day after giving up six runs
in 3 1/3 innings in a loss to the Marlins. LeBlanc was replaced injured
RHP Garrett Richards in the rotation. RHP Yoslan Herrera, who pitched
six games out of the bullpen for the Angels in April, replaced LeBlanc
on the roster. ... Marlins OF Reed Johnson needs one hit for No. 1,000
for his career.
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