LOS ANGELES ANGELS NOTES:
LEADING OFF: Today, the Angels play the fourth (0-3) of five road games on the final road trip of the first half against the Padres (0-3) and Dodgers (July 7-8)…Halos went 3-4 on last homestand against the White Sox (2- 2) and Diamondbacks (1-2).
THE INJURED LIST: Angels currently have 14 players on the injured list and have used the IL a total of 21 times this year for 20 different players…The 14 players
currently on the IL are tied with the Red Sox for the second-most in the Majors…Only the Dodgers (15) have more currently on the injured list.
LEAGUE LEADER: As a hitter, Shohei Ohtani leads the majors in home runs (31), total bases (217), XBH (51), slugging percentage (.650) and OPS (1.033) and is tied for the MLB lead in triples (5)…On the mound, he ranks second in the Majors in opponent batting average (.189) and is fourth in strikeouts (132).
STAYING ABOVE .500: With a 45-44 record, Halos are looking to avoid falling back to exactly .500 for a 12th time this season (previously 1-1, 5-5, 7-7, 8-8, 9-9, 10- 10, 11-11, 12-12, 14-14, 22-22 & 30-30).
RAVINE RETURN: Today is the first Major League appearance for Griffin Canning at Dodger Stadium, but he has pitched at the ballpark during his amateur career…Earned a complete game victory in 2014 CIF Southern Section Division 1 Final for Santa Margarita Catholic HS vs. Foothill HS (W, CG; 7 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 6 BB,
11 SO)…Also pitched in relief at the ballpark for UCLA on March 8, 2015 vs. USC.
REID THIS: Sunday was the fifth straight game for Reid Detmers with 8+ strikeouts and two-or-fewer runs allowed…The only other player in Angels history with such a streak was Nolan Ryan (seven games; his final three games in 1972 and first four in 1973).
STARTING STRONG: Since June 13, the Angels rotation ranks third in the American League with a combined 3.64 ERA (118.2 IP – 48 ER).
FREEWAY SERIES: Halos were swept in the first two head-to-head meetings at Angel Stadium earlier this season on June 20-21…LAA is looking to snap an eight game losing streak in Freeway Series action, which is tied for the Angels longest losing streak vs. Dodgers (also lost eight straight from Aug. 5, 2014 – Sept. 8, 2015)…Halos lead the all-time Freeway Series 73-69.
INTERLEAGUE PLAY: LAA owns a 272-238 (.533) all-time Interleague record (11-15 in 2023)…The 272 Interleague wins are third most all time behind Red Sox (299) and Yankees (294).
FORMER HALOS AT PLAY BALL PARK: As part of All-Star Week in Seattle, several former Angels players are currently scheduled to make appearances at Play Ball Park, including Shigetoshi Hasegawa, LaTroy Hawkins, Raul Ibañez, Mark Langston, Harold Reynolds, Lee Smith and Dave Winfield…More information is available at: AllStarGame.com.
WINNING MONTHS: Angels secured a winning record for June (14-13), after going 15-13 in May and 15-14 in March/April (15-13 in April)…Halos have a record above .500 in three straight months for the first time since May – July 2019.
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER – RHP GRIFFIN CANNING
6-3, 4.29 ERA
In last seven starts, is 4-1 with a 3.00 ERA (42 IP – 14 ER)
- TODAY’S GAME: Making 14th start of the season and eighth on the road…Is in fourth Major League season with Angels.
- STREAK SNAPPED: Loss in last start snapped career high streak of four consecutive winning decisions (previously won three straight decisions from June 9, 2021 – May 4, 2023).
- SUPPORTED: Leads the Majors (min. 50 IP) with an average of 8.58 runs of support per nine innings.
- CURRENT TRENDS: Has allowed three-or-fewer earned runs in 10 of 13 starts this season, including seven of last eight appearances…In last seven games, is 4-1 with a 3.00 ERA (42 IP – 14 ER).
- LAST TIME OUT: Took the loss in last start on Friday vs. Arizona after tossing 6.0 innings and allowing five earned runs on three hits with four walks and a season-high-matching nine strikeouts; retired each of last 13 batters faced.
- VS. DODGERS: Tonight marks third career start vs. Dodgers; is 1-0 with a 3.09 ERA (11.2 IP – 4 ER)…Today is first outing vd. Dodgers since May 7, 2021.
- AT DODGER STADIUM: Tonight marks first career Major League appearance at Dodger Stadium…Had a college relief appearance at Dodger Stadium for UCLA on March 8, 2015 (ND, 2.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO)… Also earned a complete game victory in the 2014 CIF Southern Section Division 1 Final at Dodger Stadium with a win for Santa Margarita Catholic HS vs. Foothill HS (W, CG; 7 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 6 BB, 11 SO).
- INTERLEAGUE PLAY: In 12 career Interleague games, is 5-2 with a 4.06 ERA (64.1 IP – 29 ER) and 61 strikeouts…This season, is 2-1 with a 4.91 ERA (22 IP – 12 ER) in four Interleague starts.
- SEVEN SCORELESS: Earned win on May 23 vs. Boston after tossing a season-high 7.0 scoreless innings; matched longest scoreless appearance of career (also, 7.0 shutout frames on May 18, 2019 vs. KC).
- FOURTH FRAME: Has yielded 15 of 35 (43%) runs this season in the 4th inning.
- GETTING AHEAD: Recorded a first pitch strike on 60.9% (180/296) of his batter faced this season.
- UNFAMILIAR FOES: In his career as a starter, has held opponents to a .212 average (89/420) in opposing batter’s first plate appearances of a game.
- OVER SEVEN HITS: Allowed career high nine hits in start on May 17 at Baltimore…Was first time allowing more than seven hits in his career…Streak of 46 straight starts with seven-or-fewer hits allowed was second-longest in Angels history (Rickey Clark had a 50 game streak between the 1967-1971 seasons).
- HE’S BACK: Made season debut on April 12 vs. Washington; first Major league appearance July 2, 2021… Missed Angels first 11 games of the season on injured list with a left groin strain…Spent entire 2022 season and final two months of 2021 season on IL with a low back stress reaction.
- ON REHAB: Made one rehab appearance on with Low-A Inland Empire on April 6 in the 66ers season opener…Took the loss after tossing 5.0 innings and allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits with two
walks and 10 strikeouts.
LOS ANGELES DODGERS NOTES:
NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN: The Dodgers beat the Pirates last night, 5-2, giving the club its 16th series victory of the year as well as a 4-3 season series victory over the Bucs. Julio Urías won his sixth game of the season, improving the Dodgers’ home record to 27-16 (.628) in the process. Tonight, the Boys in Blue welcome the Angels to town in the first contest of a quick, two-game set to close out the first half and the six-game homestand (3-1). The Dodgers will begin their All-Star break on Sunday and return to action next Friday, beginning a 10-day, nine-game road trip to New York-NL (July 14-16), Baltimore (July 17-19) and Texas (July 21-23). The Dodgers are in second place in the National League West, just 0.5 games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks. Los Angeles has not had a share of first place since June 2. Tonight marks the third “Friday Night Drone Show,” presented by California Pizza Kitchen of the season. Fans are welcome to come on the field following the conclusion of the game to watch the show from the outfield grass.
MOOKIE, FREDDIE AND MAX SHOW: The Dodgers’ top of the order did all the damage last night, as Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy combined to go 6-for-12 with two homers, all five runs scored and all five RBI in the series-clinching victory over the Pirates. Those three provided more than enough for starter Julio Urías, who was all business, giving up two runs and three hits while striking out eight in 6.0 innings. After Urías’s strong outing, the bullpen was near perfect, firing 3.0 scoreless innings and striking out five. Alex Vesia, called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City yesterday, nailed down his first save of the season with a spotless ninth inning. The rescue was his first in nearly a year as he closed out a win over the Cubs on July 7, 2022.
CALLING ALL ANGELS: The Dodgers swept the Angels in a two-game series June 20-21 at Angel Stadium and have now won eight consecutive games vs. the Halos. The eight-game winning streak is tied for the longest in the series history with the eight-game winning streak from August 5, 2014 through September 8, 2015. The Dodgers are four wins away from getting back to .500 lifetime against the Halos as they are 15-3 in their last 18 games vs. the Angels.
BIG BAT BETTS: Dodger All-Star starter Mookie Betts went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored last night and is two homers shy of reaching 25 in his career for the fifth time. The outfielder is among the National League leaders in homers (23, 3rd), RBI (57, T-6th), OBP (.373, 11th), SLG (.557, 4th), OPS (.930, 4th), walks (52, 6th), extra base hits (46, T-2nd), total bases (181, 4th) and runs (68, T-2nd).
STEADY FREDDIE: Dodger first baseman Freddie Freeman had a huge game last night, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored, three RBI, a double and his 15th home run of the season in his 87th game. Last year, Freeman hit a total of 21 home runs in 159 games. Freeman now has eight games this season with three or more hits, which ranks 10th in the National League. He is tied with Mookie Betts, Matt Olson and Marcus Semien for the second most runs in the Majors (68), trailing only Ronald Acuña Jr. (78). Freeman leads the Major Leagues with 30 doubles, tied for fourth with 46 extra-base hits, tied for third in batting average (.320) and fourth in total bases (188). On June 25, he became just the 98th player in Major League Baseball history to record 2,000 hits with 300+ homers. Freeman ranks third in the National League, hitting .361 (26-for-72) with runners in scoring position. He trails just Luis Arraez (.453), and Joey Meneses (.405). Mookie Betts ranks sixth with a .348 mark (23-for-66).
PROVIDING THE POP: The Dodger offense continues to be at the top of the National League in various categories, as they rank second in walks (356), runs per game (5.44), extra-base hits (310), home runs (139), slugging percentage (.447) and OPS (.776).
GETTING DRAFTY: Major League Baseball will hold its annual amateur draft in Seattle from Sunday, July 9 through Tuesday, July 11. The Dodgers will make two selections on Sunday as they hold the 36th and 60th picks overall. The first round of the draft will be televised on both ESPN and MLB Network with the remaining rounds shown on MLB Network.
TONIGHT’S STARTER vs. ANGELS: RHP TONY GONSOLIN (4-3, 3.69 ERA in 12 GS)
2023 SEASON NOTES:
- Got his fourth win of the season in his start against the White Sox on June 13, tossing six scoreless innings of on two hits, two walks while punching out six
- 2022 All-Star tossed his first win of the season on May 14th against San Diego after firing five scoreless innings and giving up two hits, one walk, and tying a season-high six strikeouts
- In his rehab start with Triple-A Oklahoma City on April 20th, he hurled three innings, allowing one hit, two earned runs, two walks while sitting down seven
- Made one Spring Training start, tossing 2.1 innings, allowing no runs on three hits, while walking two and striking out two
- Gonsolin is 30-8 in his career and is tied for the second fewest decisions all-time among pitchers to reach 30 victories. In addition, his 27-6 (.818) record as a starter is the best in the modern era through 60 games started.
VS. ANGELS:
- Will face the Halos for third time in his career…is 2-0 with a 2.92 ERA (4 ER/12.1 IP) and 12 strikeouts against two walks
- Last faced the club on June 14, 2022 firing 6.1 innings giving up one hit and three walks while striking out six in the victory
