Philadelphia Phillies vs Los Angeles Angels Match Player Stats On Aug 03, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Aug 4, 2017

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Andrelton Simmons doubled in the bottom of the eighth inning and scored the winning run on a wild pitch, giving the Los Angeles Angels a 5-4 win and a series sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday night.

The Phillies led 4-3 going into the eighth, but Luis Garcia (1-2) ran into trouble right away. He walked Luis Valbuena, and Simmons lined a double to right field to put runners in scoring position.

C.J. Cron hit a comebacker that went off the tip of Garcia's glove and bounced to second baseman Cesar Hernandez, who made the out at first as Cliff Pennington, running for Valbuena, scored the tying run.

Garcia walked Kaleb Cowart intentionally. Martin Maldonado flied out deep to center, allowing Simmons to advance to third with two outs. Garcia's first pitch to pinch hitter Kole Calhoun was launched three feet over the head of catcher Cameron Rupp, allowing Simmons to scamper home.

Yusmeiro Petit (3-0) threw two scoreless innings for the win, and Bud Norris worked the ninth for his 17th save.

The victory was the fifth in six games for the Angels (54-55), keeping them three games behind the Kansas City Royals for the second American League wild-card playoff spot.

Ben Revere walked to start the bottom of the first, and Mike Trout followed with his 21st home run of the season, a two-run shot to left, to stake the Angels to a quick 2-0 lead.

Los Angeles had a chance for more against Phillies starter Jerad Eickhoff, who had trouble locating his pitches. He walked two more but ended the inning with a strikeout of Cowart.

Eickhoff eventually regained his composure and retired 13 of the last 14 Angels he faced before handing the game over to the bullpen. He gave up three runs on three hits and four walks in six innings.

Nick Williams and Freddy Galvis had the big hits in Philadelphia's five-hit, four-run second inning. Williams hit his fifth home run, a two-run shot off Angels starter Parker Bridwell, and Galvis ended a 10-pitch at-bat with a two-out, two-run single to give the Phillies a 4-2 lead.

The Angels cut the deficit to 4-3 in the fourth, on a sacrifice fly by Ramon Flores that scored Cowart, who had doubled. It could have been more if not for center fielder Odubel Herrera, who made a leaping catch to take a two-run home run away from Maldonado.

Bridwell had just his second ineffective outing in his 10 starts. He had allowed two runs or fewer in all but two outings. On Thursday, he gave up four runs on six hits in five innings, with five of the hits coming in the second. He walked three, as many walks as he had allowed in his three previous starts.

The Phillies loaded the bases against Petit with two outs in the top of the eighth, but Rupp grounded out to end the threat.

NOTES: Phillies C Andrew Knapp was hit on the right hand on a backswing by Angels DH Albert Pujols in the second inning and left the game. ... 3B Yunel Escobar (back) and RF Kole Calhoun (hamstring) were not in the Angels' lineup. Calhoun pinch-hit in the ninth. Escobar is day-to-day. ... Angels LF Cameron Maybin (knee) will begin a two-game rehab stint at Triple-A Salt Lake on Friday, and he could be activated from the disabled list as early as Sunday. ... Angels RHP Andrew Bailey was sent to Salt Lake for a rehab assignment. Bailey had two wins in his first three relief appearances this season before experiencing right shoulder inflammation. ... The Angels signed RHP Branden Pinder to a minor league contract. The former Yankee missed most of 2016 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He made eight relief appearances in the minors this season before being released. ... Phillies OF Nick Williams (illness) and OF Aaron Altherr (hamstring) returned to the starting lineup after missing a game.