Huston Street/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Angels
– First and foremost, the news on Huston Street was not great, but it could have been worse. He has a Grade 1 strain of his left groin sustained in Saturday’s game. He told reporters after Sunday’s game his return during the regular season is doubtful, but that he was going to try hard to be ready for the postseason should the Angels make it. The Angels enter play Monday still just a half-game out of the second wild-card spot.
– Before this game, set-up man Joe Smith told this newspaper his ankle is feeling better. “It’s better, I’m walking,” he said. But Smith is not yet ready to return. If he can get back in the next couple of days, it’s likely he’ll be put into Street’s closer’s role.
– David Freese hit another big home run, smacking No. 13 in the bottom of the fifth inning for a 2-1 Angels lead. Freese is hitting .329 with two home runs and 10 RBIs this month after missing 5 1/2 weeks with a fractured finger.
– Jered Weaver was able to manage just five innings and 71 pitches because of tightness in his pitching shoulder. He said he doesn’t expect to miss his next start, however. Asked if he’s had this in the past, he said, “Yeah, for about nine years.”
– You have to love the tenacity of Johnny Giavotella. He singled to open the bottom of the eighth, but turned it into a double when centerfielder Brad Miller took his time getting the ball into the infield. Taylor Featherston ran for Giavotella and, after being sacrificed to second by Erick Aybar, he scored on an RBI single by Kole Calhoun. It was RBI No. 80 for Calhoun, who has established himself as one of the better overall right-fielders this season.
