Bell back in bigs, bullpen
GLENDALE — The following are updates on area Major League Baseball players.
Trevor Bell (Crescenta Valley High, 2005) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitcher: After beginning the 2011 season with the triple-A Salt Lake Bees, the former first-round pick was called back up to the Angels to begin his third Major League Baseball season.
With left-handed reliever Scott Downs headed to the disabled list, Bell was recalled on Friday and made his first appearance of the season, as well.
Bell, who’s been a starter and reliever at the pro level, came on in relief during the Angels’ 4-3 loss to the Boston Red Sox. Though the Angels lost, Bell was solid in closing out the game, throwing two shutout innings in which he did not allow a hit, walked two and struck out one. His relief appearance came after starting in his previous two Salt Lake appearances.
“It’s fun going from starting to the bullpen — more so than the other way,” Bell told mlb.com. “It’s a little easier when you’re already stretched out. I’ve done it the past two years.”
Before being called up, the former News-Press Athlete of the Year made three appearances for Salt Lake, going 1-2, tossing 16 innings with a 6.19 earned-run average. He struck out 11 to just two walks.
Last season, Bell went 2-5 with a 4.72 ERA as he pitched in 25 games and made seven starts for the Angels.
Heading into Monday night’s home tilt against the Oakland Athletics, the Angels were 12-10 and in second place in the American League West Division, 2 1/2 games behind the first-place Texas Rangers.
Brandon McCarthy (Glendale native) Oakland Athletics starting pitcher: Despite another stellar performance in which he pitched late into the game, McCarthy’s hard luck season continued on Thursday, when he twirled eight innings and allowed just four hits, one earned run and struck out six to one walk, but still was saddled with a loss to Seattle.
McCarthy has gone past six innings in each of his four starts this season and has allowed just three combined earned runs over his last three starts (22 innings).
On the year, McCarthy is 1-1 with a 2.10 ERA and has struck out 20 batters in 30 innings and walked just three.
Leading into Monday night’s road game against AL West-rival Los Angeles, the As are 11-11, 3 1/2 games out of first and in third place in the division. McCarthy is scheduled to start tonight against the Angels.
Marco Estrada (Glendale Community College, 2003) Milwaukee Brewers pitcher: Estrada has been impressive in four appearances — two starts, two relief appearances — thus far.
He’s sporting 3.21 ERA with a 1-0 mark over 14 innings, having struck out 13 and walked three. On Friday against Houston, he through an inning of perfect relief to follow an April 17 start against Washington in which he went six innings, allowed one run and struck out seven.
The Brewers were 11-10 entering their Monday game against Cincinnati.
Doug Slaten (Glendale Community College, 1999) Washington Nationals relief pitcher: The former Vaquero has maintained his spotless 0.00 ERA so far.
He’s now appeared in 11 games over 4 2/3 innings, allowing six hits and two walks, while striking out five. His last appearance was 2/3 of an inning of spotless relief against the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday. The Nats dropped to 10-10 with their Monday loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Freddy Sanchez (Glendale Community College, 1998) San Francisco Giants second baseman: The former National League batting champion is hitting .289 with 24 hits in 83 at-bats and has scored 13 runs, driven in eight and tallied eight doubles.
He’s slumped a bit, going one for his last 13 after a six-game hitting streak that involved five multi-hit games.
The Giants are 10-11 entering tonight’s series at Pittsburgh.