A makeshift Angels infield makes it happen in 5-1 win
If your son is Bobby Wilson, please stop reading now.
No ugly tie for Father’s Day this year, not for Wilson’s father. The Angels fly to Chicago on Thursday, but Wilson won’t board the plane until he ships a baseball to his father in Florida.
Not to ruin the surprise, Mr. Wilson — we warned you to stop reading — but the ball is the one your son hit for his first major league home run Wednesday.
“An early Father’s Day gift,” Wilson said.
A timely gift for the Angels too, that three-run homer that propelled the Angels to a 5-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Mike Napoli hit a home run too, Joel Pineiro and Fernando Rodney combined on a three-hitter, and the Angels rode a makeshift infield to victory.
Pineiro depends on his sinker, and thus on his infielders, for success. With Kendry Morales, Erick Aybar and Maicer Izturis all injured, Pineiro looked around and saw a catcher at first base in Napoli, a second baseman at third base in Kevin Frandsen and a third baseman at shortstop in Brandon Wood.
“We’re here for a reason,” Pineiro said. “We’re all big-league ballplayers. It’s tough to lose two of your starting infielders, but we’ve got some great people who can come in and do the job.”
The first batter, of course, grounded to Wood, who fielded the ball cleanly but threw it on a hop to first base.
“Got the cobwebs out of there,” Wood said. “Nap picked me up huge. Next time I won’t come over the top and spike it like a volleyball.”
The second batter hit a line drive to Wood, the third batter hit another ground ball to him.
Pineiro kept on rolling, retiring 11 consecutive batters at one point. He scattered three hits over eight innings, walking one and striking out five. Carlos Gomez hit a home run in the third inning, but no other Milwaukee batter advanced past first base.
The Angels kept Wilson on their roster as a third catcher this season, fearing another team would claim him if they tried to send him to the minor leagues. That decision has paid dividends, with starting catcher Jeff Mathis injured and Napoli, the backup, filling in for Morales at first base.
Wilson has started 10 games. The Angels have won nine, with their pitchers posting a 2.90 earned-run average in those 10 games.
“That’s Bobby’s true strength,” Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said.
Not the home run?
“He can surprise you at the plate,” Scioscia said. “That was a hit-and-run. He used his hands and hit it pretty good.”
Scioscia wasn’t about to say the Angels had found a cure for all that ails them, not with all the bandages needed for the lineup Wednesday.
“Versatility creates depth, but we’re certainly testing the waters as deep as you can,” Scioscia said.
So maybe the Angels pick up a first baseman, or a shortstop, or both. But nothing that happened on the field Wednesday surprised Wilson.
“Seeing Wood at short and Howie [Kendrick] at second, that was our middle infield coming up through the minor leagues,” Wilson said. “It’s cool all of us can be on the same field again.
“Coming up through this organization, winning was the only option we had. If you didn’t win, you either got released or you didn’t play. That’s what’s been put on us since we signed: Winning is the only option.”
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