ANAHEIM -- Growing up in Orange County, right-hander Kyle Hendricks' first pitching coach as a youngster was Angels legend Clyde Wright, who threw a no-hitter with the club in 1970 and tied a franchise record with 22 wins that season.
Wright ended up with exactly 100 wins during his 10-year career with the Angels, Brewers and Rangers from 1966-75, and Hendricks matched his mentor by earning his 100th win in a 5-4 victory over the Mariners on Friday night at Angel Stadium.
The Angels celebrated the accomplishment after the game with a special ceremony in the clubhouse, and Wright was even there to congratulate Hendricks. Wright, 84, still remains active with the organization and often attends games.
“That's the personal part of it,” Hendricks said. “He came down to the clubhouse too, which was super cool. Gave me a hug. I told him it only took 23 years after our first lesson at 12 years old. And now I finally tied him.”
Hendricks went six innings, allowing four runs on eight hits and two walks to pick up his third win this year and reach the century mark in his career. Closer Kenley Jansen, who picked up his 460th career save with a scoreless ninth, helped lead a toast along with manager Ron Washington after the game.
“I hate it being about me, so I appreciate them keeping it short,” Hendricks said. “Wash just said a couple words and the guys pointed it out, Kenley kept the last ball for me and handed it over. Just really cool. Hugs all around. [They] tried for a beer shower, but thank God, we stayed away from that.”
Hendricks, a 12-year veteran in his first season with his hometown Angels after signing a one-year deal worth $2.5 million in the offseason, has posted a 5.40 ERA in 12 starts this season. He had gone winless over his last two outings, allowing seven runs in 11 2/3 innings, but got help from the offense in the series opener.
Washington said he believes Hendricks has performed better than his ERA, and has been impressed with the way he’s kept the Angels in games. He also noted how difficult it is to get to 100 career wins with the way the game has evolved over the years.
“You know how hard that is?” Washington said. “It's really hard with all the injuries going on and the fact that the industry itself is not leaving pitchers out there to go deep in the game.
“To be the class act that he is, I talk about two things: presence and performance. His presence is always around. And when he's performing, you see him giving everything he has. It’s well-deserved and he’s got more in the tank.”
To back Hendricks, Zach Neto had an RBI single in the third, Travis d’Arnaud smacked a game-tying two-run homer in the fourth and the Angels took the lead for good in the fifth after an RBI double from Chris Taylor and an RBI single from Nolan Schanuel. d’Arnaud, who has served as Hendricks’ personal catcher this season, was excited to be part of Hendrick’s big night.
“That's so special,” d’Arnaud said. “I'm sure he's been thinking about it since he signed here in the offseason as well. So I'm very thankful and grateful that I was a part of it, and not only to be a part of it behind the plate, but also to help contribute at the plate.”
It was enough for Hendricks, who surrendered a run in the third, two more in the fourth and another in the fifth. But he pitched his way out of trouble several times, including with the help of right fielder Jorge Soler who robbed Rowdy Tellez of a grand slam with a catch down the right-field line in the fourth.
Hendricks, 35, went 97-81 with a 3.68 ERA in 11 seasons with the Cubs, winning 16 games in 2016 and 14 in both 2018 and '21. He also has two wins in 12 career postseason appearances and started Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, when Chicago emerged victorious over Cleveland.
“I think it's one of those things [that] when you're done playing, you look back and it'll mean a lot,” Hendricks said. “But just in the heat of the moment, it was just a huge team win against obviously an opponent towards the top of the division. So that's the focus. But for sure, when I get done, it's going to mean a lot to me.”