ARLINGTON, Texas -- Kole Calhoun got the Los Angeles Angels off to a fast start with a leadoff triple, and he trotted home after an errant relay throw bounced into the seats.
https://www.lasvegasfootballshop.com/60-Jersey . All-Star centre fielder Mike Trout and the rest of the Angels quickly followed his lead, and Los Angeles went on to a 15-6 rout over the freefalling Texas Rangers on Thursday night. "Oh yeah we were having fun," said Trout, the No. 2 hitter behind Calhoun who had a three-run homer among his four hits. "We always have fun, we know what this offence is capable of doing." The first four Angels batters in the game had hits and scored. They added six more runs in the second and were already up 13-2 against Colby Lewis (6-6) when Trout hit his 21st homer with one out in the third. "Those are the days you play for in organized sports, especially in baseball, when everybodys contributing, everybodys having fun, everybodys getting hits," said Josh Hamilton, the 2010 AL MVP with Texas who had RBI doubles in each of the first two innings. "Its a fun thing to be a part of." While the Angels won for the seventh time in eight games, Texas has lost five straight and 19 of 22. The Rangers (38-54) have the worst winning percentage in the majors at .413. The Rangers clubhouse remained closed for about 30 minutes after the game. Manager Ron Washington refused to reveal what he said to his team, but gave some insight into what he expects from his players. "That you dont stop fighting. You dont give into adversity. The game of baseball is full of it. You dont give in to it," he said. "The only people that can make a change and make a difference is my guys. " Hector Santiago (1-7) struck out eight in six innings. The left-hander allowed four runs and five hits. Lewis allowed a club-record 13 runs in only 2 1-3 innings. He also gave up a career-worst 13 hits in his 130th major league start, while his ERA increased by more than a full run -- from 5.51 to 6.54 -- after 11 earned runs were changed against him. Calhoun, who had four hits and scored four times, was only a homer shy of a cycle after hits in each of the first three innings. He admittedly "100 per cent" was trying to go deep his last two at-bats in a lopsided game, but grounded out and had another single. "I was definitely pulling for it," Trout said. "It was fun to watch." Calhoun pulled another ball down the right-field line for an RBI double in the second. Trout then drove in a run on a chopper for an infield hit before Albert Pujols had a sacrifice fly -- though he reached base when right fielder Alex Rios dropped the ball on the warning track for an error. Hamilton then had the second of his three doubles in the game. Erick Aybar, added to the AL All-Star team Thursday, also had RBIs in each of the first two innings. He drove in a run with a groundout in the first and had an RBI single in the second. Rangers rookie outfielder Jake Smolinski, who made his major league debut as a pinch-hitter Monday, had three hits, drove in three runs and scored twice. He has hits in all three of his starts and is the first Rangers player ever with eight hits in his first four games. NOTES: The Angels had lost eight consecutive games at Texas. ... RHP Matt West became the third player to make his major league debut this week for the Rangers. He had two scoreless innings in relief and was the 28th pitcher used this season by Texas, breaking a tie with the Angels for the most in the majors. C Chris Gimenez made it 29 when he pitched a 1-2-3 ninth. ... Rangers All-Star 3B Adrian Beltre had three hits to extend his hitting streak to 14 games, the longest active in the AL. He is hitting .500 (42 of 84) his last 22 home games. ... Angels RHP Garrett Richards (10-2, 2.71), who finished second in the final five voting for the last spot on the AL All-Star team, starts Friday night against righty Nick Tepesch (3-4, 4.29).
https://www.lasvegasfootballshop.com/40-Jersey . Louis Cardinals pitcher Jaime Garcia will have surgery on his left shoulder this week and is expected to miss the rest of the season.
https://www.lasvegasfootballshop.com/16-Jersey . It was a day that saw England slump off a World Cup field once again battered and bruised. This time there was no red card to wonder about, no goalkeeping error or individual mistake. They were thoroughly beaten by something they have nothing of – genuine world class ability.It seemed somehow serendipitous that on a day when we turned the calendar to June, the Vancouver Whitecaps were establishing a litany of new “firsts” as they overturned the Portland Timbers in a pulsating, enthralling encounter in the Rose City. Vancouvers first ever win over their expansion cousins (and, obviously, a first at Providence Park) came after nine attempts. That seems hard to believe given the Whitecaps run of results leading up to the two Cascadian rivals joining MLS from North Americas second tier. Equally amazing, the 4-3 loss at home was Portlands first in 23 games, a remarkable record stretching all the way back to March 9, 2013 when the Montreal Impact took all three points at the then Jeld-Wen Field. The win extended Vancouvers unbeaten run to six games, another first for the young MLS franchise. That may not pop off the page like a 22-game unbeaten run at home, but when you also include a road game at the Columbus Crew and home games with the LA Galaxy and Seattle Sounders in that period, the achievement seems a bit more noteworthy. Two converted penalties was a Whitecaps first on the road. (They did score twice from the spot against Real Salt Lake at home, late in the 2011 season). While referee Kevin Stott put himself in terrific position to see both first-half incidents in Portland, its hard not think about the penalty gods who somehow erased a dubious decision from a week ago with the Whitecaps leading Seattle. Erik Hurtado scored his first ugly goal of the season. The Beaverton, Oregon boy came home to bury a psychologically punishing chance that completely changed the complexion at half-time. The predatory instinct of Vancouvers fifth-overall pick from 2013 was clearly on display after he forced a great save from Donovan Ricketts before bundling the ball home by anticipating a rebound.
https://www.lasvegasfootballshop.com/58-Jersey. Its a difficult feat to score four goals in four-straight games, but Hurtado has done it four different ways and, for good measure, showed a different quality by beautifully setting up Kekuta Manneh leading to the second penalty. Goals at Philadelphia on Saturday and Montreal after the World Cup break would tie and then break the five-goals-in-five-MLS-games record held by Camilo over June and July of last year. But perhaps the most exciting “first” of all was the two goals and two assists from Whitecaps midfield maestro Pedro Morales, who, with each passing game, looks like an odds-on early season choice for MLS Newcomer of the Year. The Chilean conductor out “number 10d” last years recipient of that award, Diego Valeri, by quite some margin. His vision to pick out Hurtado on the first-half stoppage time 3-1 goal was incisive and impossible to defend. But his delay, recognition, and then exquisite ball to Jordan Harvey early in the second was even better and it proved to be the game winner. Morales is a bona fide superstar and one who seems to be relishing his role with the club. It looks likely that hell provide some more milestones before this season is done. The Whitecaps will now get a chance to cross another couple of “firsts” off their list - a first goal and victory at PPL Park in Philadelphia, where the Caps visit the Union this Saturday. Judging by their current form, and their ability to “feast on the East” that seems like a pretty safe bet. ' ' '