The Angels went into Dodger Stadium with high hopes for the weekend and were promptly shut out in the first game, 6-0 by their cross-town rivals. Joe Saunders struggled as Chan Ho Park pitched a great game for the Dodgers, throwing 6 shutout innings. The combination of 3 Dodgers relievers kept the Angels’ bats quiet for the rest of the night. The Halos mustered only 4 hits total in the loss.

Russell Martin got the Dodgers started in the first inning with a solo home run against Saunders. The Dodgers would plate 2 more runs in the fifth, one of them earned. After Saunders was lifted for a pinch-hitter, Justin Speier allowed a 3-run home run to Andre Ethier in the 7th. There’s nothing more to say about this game. Jered Weaver will face the Dodgers tonight, as the Angels will try and even up the series. This is a dream come true for Weaver, who grew up a Dodgers fan.

Joe Saunders: 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, (2 ER) 4 BB, 4 SO

Chan Ho Park: 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 SO

Andre Ethier: 1-1, 3-run homer

Angels offense: 4 baserunners all game

The streak had to stop eventually. After going 5-0 in their first 5 games of this interleague roadtrip, the Angels dropped the final game of the series to the Nationals 5-4 at the new Nationals Park. Ervin Santana didn’t have his usual good control, walking 5 batters. Santana hadn’t walked more than 3 in a game this year. He still managed to pitch a good game, giving up 4 runs in 6 innings, but was outdueled by Tim Redding and the Nationals’ bullpen. Jesus Flores had the game-winning hit for the Nats in the 9th.

 Lastings Milledge got Washington on the board first with a 2-run shot in the first inning. RBI’s by Garry Matthews

More strong pitching and late clutch hitting helped the Angels take down the Washington Nationals by a score of 3-2 on Monday night. John Lackey got the win, cruising through 8 innings with only 97 pitches thrown. K-Rod closed out the game to get his 31st save.

Washington got on the board first, when Willie Harris led off the bottom of the 3rd inning with a home run.  A sacrifice fly from Jeff Mathis knotted the game up in the 5th inning. The Angels wouldn’t score anymore against Jason Bergmann, who pitched a tremendous game. A triple by Willie Harris and a throwing error by, of all people, John Lackey gave the Nats the lead. Reliever Saul Rivera could not hold the Angels down, however, as they rallied in the 8th to take the lead and the game.

John Lackey: 8 IP, 6 H, 2 R, (1 ER) 2 BB, 6 SO

Jason Bergmann: 7 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO

Willie Harris: 2-4, 3B, HR

Angels fans, time is running out for you to enter the State Farm Call Your Shot promotion. It only takes a couple of minutes to sign up, and one you see the prize list, you will definately want to sign up!

What could be better then taking a free trip for four people to New York City for the All Star game? Staying in a great hotel, getting spending money, free tickets to the game and even a broadway show is exactly what you will get if you are selected as the grand prize winner of the Call Your Shot Promo. Take two minutes right now and enter the promo!

The grand prize winner will also get the chance to pick a spot to which two of the Home Run Derby players must compete to try to hit a ball. If the first player hits the ball to the called spot, the promotion ends. If either player succeeds, the fan receives a 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe hybrid vehicle and a 2009 season-ticket package for any team.

Additionally, 10 fans will win first place prizes consisting of a $300 MLB.com gift card and 25 second place prize winners will receive $100 MLB.com gift cards.

Remember, time is running out and you have nothing to lose! Also, remember to vote for your favorite Angels players to be in the All Star game!

 Jered Weaver had not had a great start to 2008, and that’s why it was nice to see him pitch his way to a victory in Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon. Weaver allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings pitched and a 3-run second inning against Cole Hamels held up for the Halos. This inning included a 2-run homer by Casey Kotchman, his 8th home run of the season. For the Phillies, Cole Hamels pitched a strong game as well, pitching 7 strong innings, taking the loss. Hamels is now 7-5.

After Jered Weaver left the game, the trio of Darren Oliver, Scot Shields, and Franciso Rodriguez helped slam the door for an Angels sweep. Rodriguez got his major league leading 30th save.

The Angels did a remarkable job of holding down a powerful Phillies offense this weekend. This only further proves that old saying, “Good pitching beats good hitting.” For the Angels, that is something they live by.

Jered Weaver: 5.1 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 SO

Gary Matthews: 1-3, RBI

Cole Hamels: 7 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO

Chase Utley: Breaks out of 0-23 slump; 1-4 

 Vladimir Guererro has more home runs in his career against the Phillies than any other team, and he made that stat more impressive on Saturday night, slugging two home runs against Brett Myers. Vlad didn’t even have the biggest hit in the game though, because in the 8th inning of a 2-2 game, Erick Aybar hit the go-ahead 2-run homer to right field against Myers. This was the second home run for Aybar this season. Both starting pitchers pitched great ballgames, but it was Joe Saunders who came out on top over Myers for his American league leading 11th win.

 Vlad hit solo shots in 4th and 7th innings, before the Phillies evened the score at 2. Aybar hit the 2-run shot to give the Angels a 4-2 lead, but the Angels wern’t done. RBI’s by Chone Figgins and Juan Rivera gave the Angels a cool 6-2 lead, and that’s how this one would end.

One of the major highlights of the game was when Scot Shields struck out 4 batters in the 8th inning. He fanned Greg Dobbs, Jimmy Rollins, and Shane Victorino who advanced to first on Shield’s wild pitch. Later in that inning after Victorino stole second and Pat Burrell walked, Ryan Howard went down swinging.

Joe Saunders: 7 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO, (W, 11-3)

Chone Figgins: 3-5, RBI, SB

Brett Myers: 7.2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO, (L, 3-9) 

The Angels lost the first 2 inter-league series at home, but quickly got comfortable in Philadelphia’s Citizen’s Bank Park, as they shut down the first place Phillies for the win, 7-1. Ervin Santana rebounded nicely after his shaky outing against the Braves to shut down the Phillies tough offense through 7 innings in a small ballpark

Santana recieved run support right away, as Vlad Guererro pummeled a 2-run home run to left field off Adam Eaton in the first. Guererro had 3 RBI’s in the game. RBI’s by Garrett Anderson, Casey Kotchman, Howie Kendrick and Jeff Mathis further padded the lead. Santana never really got into trouble, although he did allow an unearned run in the 6th as a result of a throwing error by catcher Jeff Mathis. Incredibly, the Angels would win the game despite making 4 errors, two by Mathis and two by Casey Kotchman.

Ervin Santana: 7 IP, 2 H, 1 R, (0 ER) 2 BB, 9 SO

Howie Kendrick: 4-5, RBI

Vladimir Guererro: 3-5, HR, 3 RBI

Clearly, Friday’s game was all about the Angels. Tonight, Joe Saunders opposes Brett Myers in Game 2 of the series.

 After a convincing win on Tuesday night in Los Angeles, the Angels dropped the series to the New York Mets with a very disappointing defeat on Wednsday night. Jon Garland pitched another solid game for L.A, but the usually reliable Angels bullpen couldn’t hold the lead, and Francisco Rodriguez was denied his 29th save. Interleague play apparently has been a problem for the Angels, who have droped consecutive series for the first time all year.

 Jon Garland gave up a few runs early, and by the middle of the 4th, it was 3-0 Mets. The Angels then scratched their way back to take the lead against left-hander Oliver Perez. This included a 2-run single by Vlad Guerrero, and run scoring singles from Jeff Mathis and Torii Hunter. The Angels would hold the small lead until the top of the 9th inning, when Francisco Rodriguez gave up the tying hit to David Wright. Rodriguez had not blown a save in his last 25 opportunities. An inning later, Damion Easley homered off Justin Speier to propel the Mets to a big win, Jerry Manuel’s first as a manager. 

Jon Garland: 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R (2 ER), 4 BB, 3 SO

Oliver Perez: 6 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO 

Carlos Delgado: 10th home run

Above: K-Rod has been spectacular for the Halos                                                                                                                              this year, just not last night.  

 A heartbraking loss for the Halos. They have the day off on Thursday, and will travel to play the Phillies in a weekend series at Citizens Bank Park.

One would think all the focus would have been on Jerry Manuel’s managerial debut for the New York Mets, but the Angels quickly turned that around, evening the series with a 6-1 win over Manuel’s Mets.  It was a bad for the Mets from the beginning. After losing Jose Reyes in the 1st inning because of a sore left hamstring, the Mets made 3 errors, leading to 2 unearned runs for the Halos. It wouldn’t matter though, as John Lackey pitched one of his best games of the season, striking out 7 batters in 7 2/3 innings.

Manager Mike Scioscia said of Lackeys’s performance,”That’s one of the best efforts we’ve seen from John, and he’s been consistent all year.” 

On the other side, Johan Santana struggled, and he took his 5th loss of the season. Torii Hunter plated two against him in the first with a double, right after the Mets scored their only run of the game. The Angels then scored a run on a fielding error, by Carlos Delgado, the first of three errors the Mets made last night. Later, Jeff Mathis would hit his 5th home run of the year, and the Angels would never look back as they cruised to a 6-1 victory. Scot Shields closed out the ballgame.

John Lackey: 7.2 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO

Johan Santana: 6 IP, 8 H, 5 R (4 ER), 2 BB, 5 SO

Hello everyone, I wanted to let you know about a great promotion that Major League Baseball as well as State Farm Insurance are putting on. State Farm is giving away some great prizes and all you have to do is go to the Offical State Farm Call Your Shot website and register through June 24th. If you are the lucky winner we have listed out what the winner will all receive below. Now tell me if that isn’t one of the best prizes for a baseball family! Make sure you take a few minutes to register, you could be the winner!

• All-expense paid trip for four to the All-Star Game and State Farm Home Run Derby
• First class hotel accommodations in New York
• Tickets to a Broadway show
• $1,000 MasterCard gift card

The grand prize winner will also get the chance to pick a spot to which two of the Home Run Derby players must compete to try to hit a ball. If the first player hits the ball to the called spot, the promotion ends. If either player succeeds, the fan receives a 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe hybrid vehicle and a 2009 season-ticket package for any team.

Additionally, 10 fans will win first place prizes consisting of a $300 MLB.com gift card and 25 second place prize winners will receive $100 MLB.com gift cards.

As you can tell, this would be an amazing trip and prize package to win. So what are you waiting for? Go register for a trip of a lifetime!