PHILADELPHIA -- One of the big reasons why the Angels have remained in contention and have surprised this season is they’ve fared much better against quality competition than last year.
The Halos seem to rise to the talent level of their opponent and it was again the case with an 8-2 win over the Phillies on Sunday afternoon that secured a series victory at Citizens Bank Park. The Angels have gone 29-30 against teams above .500 and are 49-50 on the year, which has allowed them to contend for an American League Wild Card spot.
It was also their first win on a Sunday since May 18 against the Dodgers, snapping a streak of eight Sunday losses, as well as their first three-game series win at Citizens Bank Park since sweeping a three-game set on June 20-22, 2008. The Halos also swept a two-game series here on May 13-14, 2014.
“It’s very encouraging,” interim manager Ray Montgomery said. “That's a really good team. That's one of the better teams we've faced, and it's a tough lineup. Obviously, they're going to be in it right to the end. So I think it speaks volumes about what the guys do and how they step up. We beat the Sunday curse, which is nice, too. We got a few runs and a ‘W.’ It's just the next man up mentality.”
Last year, the Angels went 40-58 against teams with a winning record en route to a 99-loss season. But this season, in the AL, only the Blue Jays, Red Sox and Astros have more wins against above .500 clubs. But the Halos will need to keep that going leading up to the July 31 Trade Deadline with important series looming against the Mets, Mariners and Rangers.
“Every game now matters,” Montgomery said. “Every series matters. And when you play a team like that, you get a taste of what it's going to be like later in the season.”
The Angels’ offense again stayed hot out of the All-Star break, but this time they didn’t rely on homers as much as they did on Friday and Saturday when they went deep three times in each game. They were buoyed by a five-run second inning against lefty Ranger Suárez, keyed by a three-run double from Taylor Ward, who also homered in his previous two games. Ward also later tacked on an RBI double in the seventh.
“It’s definitely better mechanics,” Ward said of his recent surge. “Swinging at the right pitches. Being on time. I think there's a lot of other at-bats in there that I've given away, so I just need to continue to swing at good pitches. That’s the biggest thing moving forward.”
Montgtomery was impressed by his club’s approach against Suárez, who entered with a 2.13 ERA in 13 starts, but he was roughed up for six runs on eight hits and four walks over 4 1/3 frames. The Angels can be overreliant on homers at times, but this time they piled up 13 hits on the afternoon.
“I thought the offense did a good job,” Montgomery said. “Obviously, he's one of the best pitchers in the league going right now. But I think the guys were patient, but aggressive in a good way.”
The Halos added another run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly from Mike Trout to score Zach Neto. LaMonte Wade Jr. provided another run with a solo shot in the sixth, his first homer in 24 games with the Angels. Wade, who went 3-for-4 with a walk, replaced Nolan Schanuel in the first inning after Schanuel sustained a left wrist contusion after being hit by a pitch. Schanuel was sore after the game, but X-rays came back negative.
“This is a dangerous lineup top to bottom,” Wade said. “It’s a deep lineup, a deep bench. It’s fun to watch and fun to be a part of. It’s fun to see this team click like that.”
It was more than enough for right-hander José Soriano, who went seven innings, allowing two runs on six hits. He was efficient, needing just 93 pitches, and his effort helped keep key relievers fresh after a bullpen game on Friday and Yusei Kikuchi lasting five innings on Saturday. He recorded 16 outs via grounders to tie a career high, as he had his power sinker working.
“That’s the kind of results I’m looking for,” Soriano said through interpreter Manny Del Campo. “It feels great. We faced a great team and so we just have to keep our heads up and keep playing good baseball.”