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 After a 5-0 win over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday night at
Angel Stadium, the Angels were forced to wait to uncork an American
League West title party.
The holdup wasn't too long, though, as the Texas Rangers rallied to
score six runs in the ninth inning and beat the Oakland A's,
allowing the Angels (95-57) to clinch the ninth AL West title in
club history, including six in the past 11 seasons.
"It was pretty crazy," said Angels first baseman Albert Pujols, who
won two World Series titles with the St. Louis Cardinals. "It
reminded me of 2011 when we were in Houston and we had to wait for
the Phillies to beat the Braves. You're anxious, you're waiting, but
you enjoy it. You take it however you can."
After the Rangers recorded the final out in Oakland, the Angels
players emerged from the clubhouse and celebrated on the field with
about 10,000 fans still in the seats.
"I tell the players every year in spring training, we play the game
for the fans," said Angels owner Arte Moreno, drenched in champagne
standing outside the dugout.
Watching Angels center fielder Mike Trout celebrate on the field,
one would never know he went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts in
Wednesday's game.
"This is awesome," he said. "Unbelievable. I can't explain this
right now. I just want to go out and party."
The Angels' hero Wednesday was first baseman C.J. Cron, whose
three-run home run in the seventh inning broke open a close game and
put the Angels on the brink of the bubbly.
C.J. Wilson, in the midst of an inconsistent season, shut out the
Mariners on one hit over seven innings, giving the Angels reason for
optimism that he can be a dependable starter come playoff time.
"We've battled through a lot of adversity with guys who got hurt or
guys who went through slumps," Wilson said. "We've used the whole
roster, whether it's a guy who's been in the big leagues for 15
years or a guy who's been in the big leagues for 15 days.
Everybody's contributed."
Wilson and the Mariners' James Paxton were locked in a pitchers'
duel for 6 1/2 innings, neither team able to get a baserunner as far
as third base.
It all ended quickly for Paxton and the Mariners in the bottom of
the seventh, when the Angels scored five times. Paxton was charged
with three of the runs.
The Angels broke through after second baseman Howie Kendrick singled
with one out. Third baseman David Freese followed with a single, and
the ball skipped past right fielder Chris Denorfia for an error,
allowing Freese to take second and Kendrick to score the game's
first run.
Paxton walked shortstop Erick Aybar intentionally, then struck out
catcher Chris Iannetta for the second out of the inning. That was it
for Paxton, who had made 103 pitches. Mariners manager Lloyd
McClendon went to reliever Danny Farquhar, and the Angels took
advantage.
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Cron's three-run homer was the big blow, and right fielder Kole
Calhoun added an RBI double, giving the Angels a 5-0 lead and no
doubt turning some of their attention to the out-of-town scoreboard.
Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon defended his decision to take out
Paxton when he did.
"He had an emotional inning with the run scoring, then he had a big
out with the strikeout, and he was at (103) pitches," McClendon
said. "That's about as much stress I wanted to see him have. He did
a great job. Farquhar has been great for us all year; he threw a
cutter that backed up. He's human."
Aside from a shutout of the Tampa Bay Rays on May 17, Wilson (13-9)
threw his best game of the season. He made an economical 95 pitches,
walking three and striking out seven.
The Mariners put together their only scoring threat against Wilson
in the top of seventh after a one-out walk by designated hitter
Kendrys Morales. Third baseman Kyle Seager struck out for the second
out of the inning, but James Jones, pinch running for Morales, stole
second.
Wilson walked Denorfia, but he escaped the inning when he got first
baseman Justin Smoak on a fly to right.
"You've got to give C.J. Wilson a lot of credit," McClendon said.
"He matched Paxton pitch for pitch for 6 2/3 innings, then it fell
apart for us."
Seattle (81-70) sits two games behind the two teams tied atop the AL
wild-card standings, the A's and the Kansas City Royals.
NOTES: Mariners LHP Roenis Elias will return to Seattle on Thursday
to have an MRI on his left elbow. He left Tuesday's game in the
fourth inning after feeling tightness in the elbow. Mariners medical
staff diagnosed the injury as a strained flexor bundle. He likely is
done for the season. ... Angels OF Josh Hamilton did not play one
day after returning to the field. Hamilton missed 11 games with a
sore AC joint in his right shoulder, but he did not start Wednesday
because the Mariners started LHP James Paxton. Hamilton is expected
to be in Thursday's lineup as the designated hitter. ... The
Mariners have not lost road games on consecutive days since June
18-19 at San Diego. ... Of the Angels' 95 wins, 45 were comeback
efforts -- the most in the majors and two short of the club record
set in 2009.
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