Minor leaguers propel Angels past Rockies 6-5
The Angels defeated the Colorado Rockies 6-5 on Wednesday at Salt River Fields. The Angels are 9-3-1 in Cactus League play.
AT THE PLATE: The Angels’ minor leaguers again propelled the team to a victory. Leonardo Rivas hit a score-tying single in the eighth inning. Torii Hunter Jr. ended the 3-3 deadlock with a two-run double to right field. Keinner Pina singled in a run for a last bit of cushion. “The [minor leaguers have] been outstanding all spring across the board,” manager Brad Ausmus said. “Some of them have been outstanding and they aren’t even in big league camp.” … The Angels did not break through with a run until Cesar Puello’s single in the fifth tied the score 1-1. … Jonathan Lucroy had a run-scoring ground-out. … Anaheim native and minor leaguer Jose Rojas has appeared in nine games. He is batting .412 with a 1.382 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in 17 at-bats. Said Ausmus: “He’s been tearing the cover off the ball. It seems like every day that he comes over he hits at least one ball hard and sometimes more than one.”
ON THE MOUND: In his Cactus League debut, Matt Harvey threw 27 of 44 pitches for strikes. After retiring the first three batters of the game on nine pitches, he said he became a little too fine with his mechanics and paid for it in the form of Trevor Story’s double to deep center field. Story scored two batters later, the only run given up by Harvey. Harvey issued one walk and gave up two hits, his fastball velocity topping out around 96 mph. … Daniel Hudson, Dan Jennings, Cam Bedrosian and Justin Anderson each threw an inning. All but Hudson gave up a hit. Bedrosian gave up two runs, both unearned.
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EXTRA BASES: For a while, Orange County native David Fletcher was the only Angels player with a hit. He hit a leadoff single to left field against Jon Gray. … Ausmus has managed Hunter Jr. and his father, former Angels outfielder Torii Hunter. “It was bad enough playing against guys I played with their sons. Played with Tony Gwynn, played against his son, played with Cecil Fielder, played against his son. Now I have managed Torii Hunter and managed his son. Getting up there.”
UP NEXT: Split-squad doubleheader Thursday at noon PST vs. the Dodgers at Tempe Diablo Stadium and vs. the Kansas City Royals at Surprise Stadium. Felix Pena starts at Tempe Diablo. Jaime Barria starts at Surprise Stadium. TV: FS West. Radio: 830.
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