After clinching the division, Scioscia gave the regular season starters a much needed day off (though Conger did get screwed with that). In their place he put a lineup of players who spent most of their season in AAA playing for the Bees.
Many were worried about throwing in the “rookies” against Felix Hernandez but he has owned the veterans this year anyway going 3-0 his previous three starts against the Angels and allowing a total of only 6 runs in those 3 games.
Wade LeBlanc was another concern, given his outing the last time he made an Angels start. Howver, LeBlanc held his own against Hernandez and pitched a pretty stellar 5.1 innings giving up only 3 hits, no walks and throwing 72 pitches. LeBlanc, Mike Morin, Joe Thatcher, and Fernando Salas held the Mariners scoreless for 8 innings.
The Angels did not tally a lot of hits, but who does against Hernandez? Brennan Boesch went 2 for 3 with a walk, Conger hit a home run, and Luis Jimenez and Shwan O’Malley manged the only other hits for the team.
The only real flaw in the game came on a Logan Morrison 3 run homer off Jepsen in the ninth.
Check out a couple of the great defensive plays from last night here and here. And YES Grant Green CAN field.
