Although the Los Angeles Angels have posted a franchise record 99 losses in 2024.
The angels have a good start, including two wins in extra rounds on a season opening road trip.
However, Los Angeles will appear to be bouncing back from an 8-6 loss in the opener of the series when it hosts Cleveland Guardians on Saturday in Anaheim, Calif.
“They learn to pull one after each other,” said Angels -Manager Ron Washington. “They learn to stay in the fight. And if you will succeed, you have to be in that kind of ball game. It’s the kind of ball game that winning team must be in. And we get a taste of it early.”
Winning the close games seems to have a transfer effect in the clubhouse.
“I got goose goats and just be with this group of guys and everything, it’s just electrically around the clock,” said Angel’s first bass man Nolan Schanuel, who went 1-for-4 with an RBI and a walk Friday.
“There is a completely different vibe here from last year this year, and it’s fantastic. It’s fantastic to be a part of.”
Right-hander Jack Kochanowicz (0-0, 3.00 era) will be on the litter Saturday for Los Angeles, which comes from an No-contest in its first season start. He gave up two runs and four hits in six rounds and did not go for a batter in the Los Angeles 3-2 victory.
Kochanowicz, 24, has not yet met Guardians in his career.
Tanner Bibee (1-0, 0.00 era) begins on Saturday for Cleveland. The right-hander threw 5 2/3 speechless innings and allowed only two hits in a 6-2 win over Royals last Sunday.
Biblee was originally planned to be Cleveland’s starting day starts, but four hours before the planned first pitch he was scraped because of what the club said was food poisoning.
His first start was driven back three days to Sunday, and he beat well, although he seemed upset that he was being deducted from the game by Guardian’s manager Stephen Vogt with two outs in the sixth round.
“I always want to stay in the game no matter what,” Biblee said. “Sometimes I won’t be happy about it, but it’s not my choice. He’s just trying to protect me, that’s what his job is as a manager, so I get it.”
Biblee, who is 1-2 with a 4.21 era in four career starts against the angels, threw at least six rounds in 13 of his 31 starts last season, but only once in his first nine starts.
“I feel that the first couple starts is to make sure you come out healthy,” Biblee said. “It’s a bit of a spring training; no one will go eight rounds the first couple start.
“So I feel that it is just to get through these starts and make sure you get healthy. And then I feel like a couple, you are full drilling into the season.”
Three Angels players had to leave Friday’s game with injuries – Infielder Luis Rengifo (left hamstring), Reliever Ryan Zeferjahn (right hamstring) and third bass man Yoan Moncada (right thumb).
-Field level media
