Mark Trumbo hit a leadoff solo homer in the bottom of the ninth to give the Angels a 9-8 win over the New York Yankees, giving the Angels their seventh consecutive victory and putting them at the .500 mark for the first time since April 9 with a 25-25 record.
The question now becomes, how long can they stay there?
Staff ace Jered Weaver walked off the mound before recording an out in the first inning, unable to continue after three batters due to sharp pain in his back. After throwing his 12th pitch, he screamed and arched his back in pain, and after one attempt at a warm-up pitch, Weaver yelled once again and walked off the mound. It was the first time in his six-plus year major league career that he started a game and failed to get at least five outs.
Weaver, who was diagnosed with what the team called a “lower-back injury,” told reporters that he’d never felt a pain like that any time in his career.
“I couldn’t really do anything about it,” he said, still in discomfort even after medication was administered. It was disappointing because you get motivated (to face teams like the Yankees).”
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1. Dan Posted: May 29, 2012 at 07:38 AM (#4141993)Meanwhile, on the road against the Angels is simply a house of horrors for the Yankees. Given the pitching mismatch going in, you chalk it up as a Yankees loss. Weaver is out after a few batters and you think the Yankees might have a chance to steal one. Phil Hughes though continues to be 10 kinds of terrible and now a sweep is likely coming. Dread this trip every year.
I have no idea how the Yankees have actually played in LA lately, but ever since they beat the Angels in 2009 LCS, it has seemed like less of a sure-thing loss out there. Of course, it is probably not unrelated that the Angels weren't very good in 2010-2011.
EDIT: Yankees were 3-3 @ LA last year, 1-2 in 2010. So, counting last night, they're 4-6 since the 2009 LCS. That's not great, although it is probably better than it was in Torre years when LA seemed to beat them in a rented mule.
Plus it's really dark and scary in there.
He had pitched better, I'll give you that. But yesterday is the kind of start he just has to come through in if he ever wants to have any value to the team. Spotted three runs in the first inning, and he immediately gives up the lead. Awful.
It certainly MIGHT happen but... I don't think Dan Haren and Santana go 31-0 every year. It is entirely possible they win one or both. Probably most likely at this point they win 1/2.
I sure am glad the players don't have this mindset.
I've thrown out my back before, and it is incredibly painful, and incredibly painful to do literally anything at all since everything uses your back. But it clears up in a day or two.
The kicker is back problems never really go away. It clears up, but you're more susceptible to it in the future.
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