|
 Richards, though, is showing the pain and disappointment from the
injury are a distant memory, the Los Angeles Angels right-hander
going seven strong innings in a 5-3 win over the Chicago White Sox
on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium.
"It's funny, Smitty (Angels trainer Rick Smith) brought it up a few
days ago, I didn't even realize it," Richards said of the
anniversary. "Yeah, it kind of seems like yesterday. It's been a
long road back but I'm starting to see the benefits of my hard work
this offseason and getting back on the field. It's nice."
Richards wasn't dominant, but he was good enough, allowing three
runs (two earned) on eight hits, striking out four and walking none.
He improved to 12-9 and lowered his ERA to 3.50.
White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu had three hits off Richards,
including an RBI double.
"Really tonight, any time we started to get a little momentum,
Richards was good," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "It seems
like we're getting guys on, starting to get something going and that
sinker that he can throw at any time, it was ... he was good. We
just couldn't get over that hump."
The Angels only had five hits in the game, but made the most of
them. A two-run homer by right fielder Kole Calhoun and a solo homer
by first baseman Albert Pujols in the first inning gave Richards an
early 3-0 cushion that would stand up.
"It makes my job easier," Richards said of the early runs. "I can
start filling up the zone, I don't have to be as fine early on and
can just go ahead and attack hitters the way I want to."
Richards had just four strikeouts in the game and is averaging 5.1
strikeouts per start this season, down from 6.3 strikeouts per start
last year. But he said it's part of his evolution as a pitcher.
"That's something that's come along with my development," Richards
said when asked about pitching to contact. "When you start nibbling,
that's when you get into bad counts and you start having to pitch to
the hitter instead of pitching your game. It's something I've been
working on since being in the big leagues and something I value for
me to be successful. Going at guys and getting ahead of guys is
something I'm trying to do right now."
White Sox starter John Danks (6-10) settled in after that first
inning and managed to go seven innings, giving up all five runs
(four earned) on five hits and one walk.
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"Johnny was pretty good," Ventura said. "After that first inning, he
was tough. Command, throwing strikes has been much different than
earlier. I think he has that confidence he can go in there and throw
it. He's has better velocity and that changeup, he's got a great
feel for now. And his curveball."
Richards gave up consecutive singles to start the eighth inning, but
reliever Joe Smith came in and worked his way through the inning,
allowing one run on an RBI groundout by center fielder Adam Eaton,
the run charged to Richards.
Huston Street pitched a scoreless ninth for his 29th save of the
season.
With the win, the Angels moved to within 1 1/2 games of first-place
Houston in the American League West, and moved one-half game ahead
of Baltimore for the second wild-card spot.
NOTES: Angels 3B Kaleb Cowart was called up from Triple-A Salt Lake
and was in the starting lineup batting ninth in his major league
debut. Cowart, the Angels' minor league player of the month for June
and July, was hitting .323 in 62 games for the Bees. To make room
for Cowart, INF Conor Gillaspie was designated for assignment.
Gillaspie hit .203 with one homer, nine RBIs, a .250 on-base
percentage and a .344 slugging percentage in 17 games since being
acquired from the White Sox on July 24. ... The White Sox released
INF Emilio Bonifacio, two days after designating him for assignment
to make room on the roster for OF J.B. Shuck. Bonifacio hit .167 in
47 games. ... White Sox CF Adam Eaton entered the contest hitting
.321 in his previous 20 games.
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