NewsSaunders beats Tigers in return
Angels lefty features improved velocity in first start off DL
By Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com
08/26/09 8:30 PM ET
ANAHEIM -- If Wednesday afternoon's game is any indication, the Angels might be getting the version of Joe Saunders who was an All-Star in 2008 for the rest of this season. Saunders pitched without any tightness in his left shoulder against the Tigers in his first start since being placed on the disabled list, and it certainly showed, as he featured increased velocity to keep Detroit in check for five innings. It was an impressive effort by Saunders, who allowed two runs on four hits and helped lead the Angels to a 4-2 win over the American League Central-leading Tigers in front of 39,269 at Angel Stadium. "I think we were all excited about Joe's stuff and his arm speed," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "The ball was coming out of his hand well. There might've been some rust, with a lot of pitches to throw five innings, but it was good to see that arm speed return." Saunders' average fastball for the game was 93.1 mph, which is nearly three mph faster than his average of 90.2 when he was battling with a knot in his shoulder. "It's certainly the best consistent velocity we've seen this year from Joe," Scioscia said. "Hopefully, he can maintain through the stretch run, which is very important for us. And that's an understatement. It's huge." Saunders had excitement in his voice after the game, as this was the first time he had pitched without tightness since Spring Training. "It was nice to be able to throw the ball without any hint of tightness," Saunders said. "My arm was free and I let it go. I threw all my pitches, and I felt good." But Saunders also admitted that he should've gone on the DL earlier in the season, especially with his recent struggles that brought his ERA to 5.33 entering the game. "I look back and say, 'I should've done this a lot earlier,'" said Saunders, who had electrical stimulation, massages and his first cortisone shot in his arm to get the knot out. "It's my fault. You live and you learn." Saunders seemingly made only one mistake all afternoon, when he left a changeup up in the zone to Adam Everett in the fifth inning that led to a two-run homer. But by then, the Angels already had a 4-0 lead, which was keyed by a two-run homer from Torii Hunter in the first inning off right-hander Edwin Jackson. "One of the biggest things was Torii getting us on the board early," Scioscia said. "It allowed Joe to relax and gave him a little bit of a buffer." Hunter's 18th homer came on a 3-2 fastball to score Chone Figgins, who led off the game with a walk. "I don't know if it was a mistake, because it was low and away," Hunter said. "I might've been lucky, if anything." The Angels then added to their lead in the third and fourth innings with RBI singles by Kendry Morales and Figgins, respectively. Both innings featured stolen bases by Angels baserunners, as they ran wild on Jackson to the tune of four stolen bases and swiped five on the day. "A lot of the pitches they stole on today, unfortunately, I was doing offspeed in that count," Jackson explained. "Most of the pitches they ran on were offspeed. It's definitely perfect timing. Not to say if they got a fastball they wouldn't have had the base." Figgins, who stole two bases in the game, showed his aggressiveness again in the seventh, when he broke for home on a throw from catcher Gerald Laird to pitcher Ryan Perry, who bobbled the ball and neglected to look at Figgins. Figgins scored easily, but home-plate umpire Jim Wolf ruled that third-base umpire Chad Fairchild had given timeout to Tigers third baseman Brandon Inge. "I saw the third-base umpire put his hands up, but Figgy was breaking," said Scioscia, who went out to argue the call. "My contention was that there was still a play going in progress and that time should've have been given. It was unfortunate, but it's neither here nor there." It ended up being irrelevant as relievers Jason Bulger, Jose Arredondo, Kevin Jepsen and Brian Fuentes combined to pitch the final four innings to preserve the win for Saunders and the Angels. "Our bullpen has been used a lot, but they responded the way we knew they could this afternoon," Scioscia said. It was Fuentes' first appearance since Aug. 18, but he was able to get his 36th save despite hitting both Ryan Raburn and Laird with pitches. "I felt all right," Fuentes said. "I felt like I was throwing strikes. "I got ahead of the one guy and hit him with a breaking ball, and with the other guy, I overthrew that one, too. But I felt fine." With the victory, the Angels avoided a three-game sweep at the hands of the Tigers and also avoided losing four straight games for the first time this season. They're still the only team in the Majors that has yet to lose four in a row. But the club has lost five of its past seven games. "We're in a little rough patch over these last 10 games or so, not doing the things we've been doing all season," Scioscia said. "But that's not unusual during the season, so today was a good bounce-back game, and hopefully we'll carry that into tomorrow."Rhett Bollinger is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
