The Los Angeles Angels are playing perhaps their most complete baseball of the season, and they continued that trend by completing a three-game sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks. A complete performance at the plate and on the mound contributed to their sixth straight victory, winning 10-3 on Sunday afternoon.
The Angels got to work early on Sunday afternoon against starting pitcher Jon Duplantier. In the top of the first, Justin Upton got to second base via a single and a groundout from Jared Walsh. Then, Max Stassi took a 3-2 fastball deep to left-center field for a two-run home run.
Patrick Sandoval was the starter for the Angels as he continued to prove his abilities as a full-time rotational piece. He allowed an infield single in a quick first inning before the bats got back to work.
In the second, the Angels took complete control of things. Taylor Ward and Sandoval — who batted No. 8 in the National League ballpark — each singled to put runners on the corners with one out. Then, the Angels put up four runs in three batters, with David Fletcher, Upton, and Walsh all bringing home runs. By the bottom of the second, it was 6-0.
Things calmed down from there, as 12 consecutive batters were retired by Sandoval and the Diamondbacks’ long reliever. Duplantier was removed from the game after 1.1 innings.
The next piece of action on the bases came from the Diamondbacks in the bottom of the fourth inning. Arizona put together a small two-out rally led by Eduardo Escobar and Pavin Smith to score one run. Sandoval survived the rally with the Angels still leading 6-1.
In the sixth, the bottom of the Angels order went to work offensively. Ward, Juan Lagares, and Fletcher all doubled to bring home two runs. Upton tried to keep things going with a single, but the Halos were unable to add to the damage, but they had already extended their lead to 8-1.
Sandoval survived the sixth inning as was on the mound to begin the seventh. However, he was clearly fatigued, walking the two first batters before being taken out of the game in frustration. One of his inherited runners came into score from the arm of Steve Cishek.
Cishek allowed an RBI single from David Peralta to help the Diamondbacks slightly cut the gap, making it 8-2. Cishek was able to avoid any further damage despite having runners on first and second base. After 7, the score remained 8-2.
In the eighth, the Angels continued to pour it on courtesy of a 431-foot two-run home run by Walsh. This extended their lead to 10-2 with just six outs left to get defensively.
Junior Guerra took the mound in the bottom of the eighth in an attempt to get six outs to finish the game out. He got the first three with the help of his defense, as a double play ended that frame.
Guerra got off to a good start in the ninth, getting two quick outs. However, three consecutive base runners scored a run for the Diamondbacks to make it 10-3. But that was all the Angels allowed, as they completed the sweep and moved to 33-32 on the season.
