Offense Brings Back Memories of Last Season

It was a taste of last season, when things were a little sweeter for the Angels. Clutch hit. Big inning. Easy victory.

J.T. Snow had no trouble comparing and contrasting.

“We haven’t done a real good job of hitting with guys in scoring position,” he said. “It’s not like it was last year. At the end of the game we’ll have 10 or 11 hits and be scratching our heads, wondering why we only scored a couple runs.”

There was none of that Saturday.

Snow’s grand slam in the second inning opened the scoring and Garret Anderson had two key hits in the Angels’ 7-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. All that made for a relatively easy day.

“I’ve forgotten what that was like,” said Jim Edmonds, who had two hits and scored two runs. “Something hasn’t been clicking. It’s been this way all season.”

It wasn’t on Saturday.

Snow got it started. He hammered a 1-0 pitch into the right-field seats with no outs in the second. It was a welcome, if unlikely, break against Ben McDonald, who has dominated the Angels in Anaheim Stadium. McDonald entered the game 11-3 with a 2.21 earned-run average against the Angels. He was 6-0 with a 1.04 ERA in seven previous starts at Anaheim.

McDonald (10-4) had won six consecutive decisions and had not given up more than two runs in seven starts since June 16. He was facing Snow, who had three hits in 25 at-bats in his career against McDonald.

“He’s a guy who has given us fits,” Snow said. “I went up there just trying to hit the ball hard, maybe drive in a couple runs.”

Instead, he put McDonald in a big hole early.

“We would score four-run innings last season and end up scoring a lot more than seven runs,” Edmonds said. “That’s how tough McDonald has been on us.”

Snow has picked them up recently. He is hitting .394 this home stand. On Thursday, his home run in the ninth inning started a rally. Gary DiSarcina ended it with a three-run homer for a 5-4 victory.

It was their 27th come-from-behind victory this season. Before Saturday, the Angels’ last breather was a 10-3 victory over Milwaukee on June 20.

A year ago, it wasn’t such a struggle. The Angels finished second in the major leagues with 801 runs and third in home runs with 186. Snow, Edmonds and Tim Salmon all drove in 100 runs.

“We haven’t come up with the big hits this season,” Anderson said. “I’m probably the worst at hitting with runners in scoring position. I think I put too much on my shoulders. I’ve struck out with the bases loaded. I’ve popped up with the bases loaded. I’ve done it all.”

Anderson did plenty Saturday. He chopped a single into center field to drive in DiSarcina and give the Angels a 5-0 lead in the third. In the eighth, Anderson doubled to right and Edmonds scored from first when Milwaukee catcher Mike Matheny couldn’t handle the throw.

“We didn’t hit a lot of bullets today,” Anderson said. “I think J.T.’s home run and my double were the only hard hit balls. But we got some hits in the clutch.”

Just like last season.