LOS ANGELES – Freddy Galvis hit a three-run homer and Ryan Howard added a three-run double to lift Philadelphia over Los Angeles.
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Jason Hammel extended a personal winning streak to five while the Chicago Cubs completed a four-game season sweep of the Los Angeles Angels with a 3-1 victory on Wednesday night.Hammel (12-5) allowed four hits, struck out six and walked two through a seven-inning outing.
Los Angeles (49-63) dropped its fifth straight and fell into last place in the AL West.
And they continue to do it with full-bodied vigor: Razor-sharp starting pitching; solid, timely hitting; airtight defense and dazzling bullpen work.
The Angels sent their top starter – left-hander Hector Santiago (10-4) – to Minnesota for Nolasco and a prospect.
“I’ve never been on a team this good before”, Hammel said. Kole Calhoun hit a homer off of our old pal John Lackey in the first, and then after that, the Angels were barely heard from again (they finished with three total hits, and that one KC RBI).
Hammel is 5-0 with a 1.16 ERA since the All-Star break.
“That’s the way he can pitch”, manager Mike Scioscia said.
“I’m really close to Tommy and we’ve been talking back and forth”, Szczur said. “I think he’s comfortable in the box”. The ball was down for the most part. “He really spun the ball well with a couple different breaking balls and that’s when he’s at his best”.
Chicago (69-41) is on a post-All-Star Game roll with baseball’s best record, a seven-game winning streak, victories in 10 of its last 11 contests and a double-digit game lead in the National League Central.
Adrian Beltre hit a two-run double, and Elvis Andrus added a tiebreaking single as Texas scored four runs in the eighth to rally past Colorado. Stephen Piscotty has knocked 114 hits with 62 runs, 15 homers and 61 RBI.
“He called a good game and I was locating pretty decent”. “He’s aggressive. He went after them”. “You try to clinch as quickly as possible and then sit down and take a deep breath and go at it from there”.
The whole team picture is a handsome one if you are Cubs fan, yet it’s hard not to bring up history – both recent and very-very-very long-term trends. Jorge Soler started in left field for the first time since June 6 following a hamstring injury and three games as the DH last weekend.
Strop came on in the eighth for Chicago and had to be helped off the field when he tried to make a play on Yunel Escobar’s leadoff tapper down the third base line.
Cain’s shot to center scored Christian Colon, who started the inning with a single.
But it’s likely to result in a bigger role for Carl Edwards Jr., who struck out Mike Trout, induced Albert Pujols to ground out to second and Andrelton Simmons to short and prevent the tying run from scoring in the eighth in relief of Strop and Travis Wood.
The Cubs are red-hot this MLB season and two of their superstars are in the converstaion for National League MVP.
Trout said he’s not quite comfortable, but he’s getting there.
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The Cubs – from President Theo Epstein to manager Joe Maddon to sports psychologist Ken Ravizza to teammate Matt Szczur – have remained in contact with La Stella, who is working out at his New Jersey home while pondering his future.
