|
 Albert Pujols' three-run double in the third inning catapulted
the Angels to an 8-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners, but Pujols
limped into second base clutching his left hamstring.
After being checked out in the training room, Pujols was diagnosed
with a cramp, not a strain. His status will be reevaluated Tuesday,
but he said after the game he expects to be in the lineup.
"I knew it right away it was a cramp," Pujols said. "As soon as I
hit the bag and went four or five steps and that's when I felt it.
Obviously it's been really hot the last couple of days (94 degrees
at first pitch). You can put as much fluid as in your body that you
can but at the end of the day you still have the weather. I've never
had problems with my hamstrings so I'm not really concerned."
Then there was Angels pitcher Matt Shoemaker, who took a shutout
into the eighth inning. But while pitching to the Mariners' Humberto
Quintero, Shoemaker felt his left side tighten up.
After Quintero grounded out, driving in the Mariners' only run of
the night, Shoemaker came out of the game. He will have an MRI exam
Tuesday, but Shoemaker didn't sound overly concerned.
"No," he said after being asked if he was anxious about the MRI.
"It's the (same) way I approach pitching. I can only control what I
can control. It's out of my hands. We'll do what I have to do and
nip it in the bud."
Otherwise, it was a great night for the Angels, who clinched a spot
in the playoffs for the first time since 2009. But there was no
celebration after the game, the Angels focused on winning the
American League West.
In fact, there were Angels caps with patches that said "Postseason"
on them on the dais for manager Mike Scioscia's interview session.
Scioscia saw the hats and shoved them aside.
"I'm totally proud of what these guys have done but I don't think we
feel anything about qualifying for any postseason because we really
haven't," he said. "We have to get out there and get after it and
win the division. That gets you into the playoffs. That's been our
goal from day one and that's what you focus on down the stretch."
With Oakland idle, the Angels increased their lead to 10 1/2 games
and reduced their magic number to clinch the division to three.
Early on, it appeared the game would be a pitchers' duel between
Shoemaker and the Mariners' Hisashi Iwakuma. Iwakuma, after all,
brought in a career mark of 5-0 with a 1.64 ERA against the Angels.
Pujols' two-out double on an 0-2 pitch was the beginning of the end
for Iwakuma (14-8), who left after 3 1/3 innings, giving up seven
runs on six hits and two walks.
"I've seen Albert do that time and time again, that's why he's a
future Hall of Famer," Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said. "I
think that at-bat really wore on (Iwakuma), and he never recovered
after that. He made great pitches to a great hitter. It was a great
at-bat."
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Shoemaker, though, held up his end of the bargain. He won his
seventh consecutive decision, improving to 16-4 after going 7 2/3
innings and allowing one run on five hits.
The Angels offense continued its support of Shoemaker, scoring at
least seven runs for him for the fifth game in a row. Third baseman
David Freese and designated hitter Brennan Boesch each homered, and
left fielder Tony Campana, who entered the game as a pinch runner
for Pujols, had a two-run single.
Iwakuma retired the first eight Angels hitters he faced, but issued
a four-pitch walk to No. 9 hitter Efren Navarro with two outs in the
third.
Right fielder Kole Calhoun followed with a bloop single to center,
and center fielder Mike Trout walked, loading the bases for Pujols.
"The tough walk was the walk to Navarro," McClendon said. "I thought
he was pitching Trout very carefully, and rightfully so.
"I thought his stuff tonight was as good as it's ever been. Cutters,
sliders, splits, fastballs up in the zone. It's one of those things.
The Angels did a nice job tonight. We've played the Angels extremely
well. They're a good team, the best team in baseball."
Pujols fell behind in the count 0-2, then fouled off four
consecutive pitches before hitting a line-drive double into the
left-field corner to drive in three.
"You don't think, you just concentrate on the ball and hopefully put
a good swing on it," Pujols said.
NOTES: Angels OF Josh Hamilton had "an incredible" workout Monday
afternoon, according to manager Mike Scioscia, and could return to
the lineup -- likely as the DH -- as soon as Wednesday. Hamilton has
been out since injuring the AC joint in his right shoulder on Sept.
4. ... Mariners LF Dustin Ackley was back in the starting lineup
after missing six of the previous seven games with a sore left
ankle. The Mariners lost five of the six games without him. ...
Angels RHPs Kevin Jepsen and Joe Smith rank 1-2 in the majors in
scoreless appearances with 63 and 62, respectively.
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