ANAHEIM, Calif. — Garrett Richards largely dominated the Los Angeles Dodgers until Chase Utley slapped his 109th and final pitch into left field, driving in the tying run.
It was disheartening and deflating – just like the Los Angeles Angels‘ entire stretch run.
A few minutes later, Kole Calhoun and Albert Pujols showed there’s still hope.
Pujols drove in Calhoun with the tiebreaking run in the eighth inning, and the Angels snapped their eight-game skid in the Freeway Series with a 3-2 victory over the Dodgers on Wednesday night.
The Angels had lost 12 of their previous 18 games while sliding to the brink of irrelevance in the playoff race. But Pujols insists his team won’t give up, and he came up big to make sure the Angels avoided a six-game season sweep by the Dodgers.
"In that situation, I have experience," Pujols said. "One out, the infield in, I think I’ve got enough experience to calm myself and get a good pitch to hit."
Calhoun doubled into the right-field corner leading off the eighth against Luis Avilan (2-5) and advanced when Andre Ethier bobbled it. After Pedro Baez struck out Mike Trout, Pujols bounced a one-out single through the middle.
Richards matched his career high with 11 strikeouts during 7 2-3 innings of four-hit ball, snapping his slider with authority as the Angels beat their local rivals for the first time since last year.
"I just felt good with all my stuff," said Richards after barely missing his 14th victory. "I got ahead early and put guys away."
The Angels hadn’t even led a game against the Dodgers this season until Taylor Featherston tripled and scored on Calhoun’s sacrifice fly in the third inning.
David Freese had an early RBI double for the Angels, who pulled within 3 1/2 games of Texas for the second AL wild-card spot with the Rangers’ loss, although Minnesota is between them.
Scott Schebler homered for the Dodgers on Richards’ first pitch, but the NL West leaders lost for just the third time in 16 games. The Giants’ loss kept the Dodgers 8 1/2 games up in the division race, but the Dodgers’ five-game winning streak was snapped despite Utley’s clutch two-out, two-strike hit for his new team.
"To win two series on the road has been good for us," third baseman Justin Turner said. "Earlier in the year, we didn’t play well on the road, so it’s nice to win some series."
Jose Alvarez (4-3) struck out Adrian Gonzalez to end the eighth, and Huston Street pitched the ninth for his 33rd save.
Joe Wieland yielded four hits over four innings in his first big league appearance since May 6 for the Dodgers. After two weeks of inactivity, he was the fill-in starter for Mat Latos, a late scratch with a stiff neck.
FIRST THINGS FIRST
Until Featherston scored, the Angels hadn’t led the Dodgers at any point in any game this year, or in seven consecutive meetings dating to last season. They hadn’t held on to a lead for a full inning in any of their eight straight losses to the Dodgers.
BROOKLYN UPPER-DECKER
Schebler’s homer followed Justin Ruggiano’s leadoff homer in the Dodgers’ 6-4 win on Tuesday night. The Dodgers hadn’t led off consecutive games with homers since July 12-13, 1951, when Carl Furillo did it both games for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: Latos was scratched about three hours before game time. His one-run performance against the Angels last month has been his only outstanding start since joining the Dodgers in a trade.
Angels: Matt Shoemaker played catch Wednesday in the next step in his rehabilitation of a strained right forearm. He still doesn’t know when he’ll return to the rotation.
UP NEXT
Dodgers: After a day off, Alex Wood (10-9, 3.51 ERA) is likely to start at Arizona on Friday, but manager Don Mattingly hasn’t confirmed his reconfigured rotation in the wake of Latos’ scratch.
Angels: After a day off, Jered Weaver (6-10, 4.78 ERA) takes the mound for their series opener against AL West-leading Houston.
