Halos take 2 of 3 from Twinkies

Aug 07 – Aug 09 – Anaheim Stadium

Game 1 – Angels 2, Twins 1

Ryan vs. Pascual

Both Nolan Ryan and Camilo Pascual brought their “A” game to the park this night, with both teams spending more time swinging at air than anything else, and a combined 21 batters going down on strikes. Pascal (0-1) yielded only 5 hits and 1 walk with 8 Ks in 7.2 innings of work. For his part, Ryan (1-0) gave up only 4 hits and 3 walks with 10 Ks in 6 innings. All the game’s scoring was done in the 3rd. Rod Carew scored an unearned run on a Roy Sievers single to put the Minnesota up 1-0. But California answered in the bottom of the frame with 3 consecutive hits after  2 were out. Wally Joyner made up for his error with an RBI  double that put the Angels on top 2-1. And thanks to Ryan and relief from Andy Messersmith and Bryan Harvey (S1), that score held up to the end.

Rod Carew had a very good day. He started for both teams, scored 2 of the game’s 3 runs (1 for each team, to be fair), and went a combined 3-6 with 2 walks.

Game 2 – Angels 6, Twins 1

Chance vs. Boswell

Game 2 started out as another pitcher’s duel, with the score 1-1- after 6 innings. Gary Gaetti’s RBI single and Jack Howell’s sacrifice fly was all the scoring up to that point. In the bottom of the 7th it appeared the score would remain as such after Frank Viola, in relief, retired the first 2 batters, allowed a innocent pinch hit single, and then forced Rod Carew to hit an easy ground ball to himself at 2nd base. But Rod Carew misplayed it, probably confused at seeing himself running to 1st base. The error opened the flood gates, as the next 5 California batters all reached. The crushing blow was Jim Fregosi’s bases-loaded, 2-run single that put the Angels up by 5, and the game psychologically out of reach. Viola (0-1) was tagged with the loss, despite giving up no earned runs. Dean Chance (1-0) earned the win, yielding only 2 hits and 2 walks in 7 innings.

Game 3 – Twins 5, Angels 3

Tanana vs. Blyleven

Frank Tanana, on his first game back from injury, made his 2nd start of the season, and evidentially thought he was only supposed to throw BP. At least, that’s how it appeared to the Minnesota batters, as they rocketed Tanana for 8 hits in 4.2 innings, half of those leaving the park. Roy Sievers and Harmom Killebrew want back-to-back in the 1st inning. Kilebrew then did it again in his next AB to lead off the 4th inning. And finally, Zoilo Versalles got into the act with a HR to lead of the 5th. Staked to a 5-0 lead, the Twins held on the second half of the game and won 5-3, despite Bobby Grich’s 1st HR of the season. Blyleven (1-0) got the win, and Rick Aguilera his league-leading 3rd save. Tanana (0-1) took the loss.

--submitted by Douglas Zaner (CAL)--