LOS ANGELES ANGELS NOTES:
LEADING OFF: Today, the Angels play the sixth (3-2) and final game on a road trip against the Milwaukee Brewers (1-2) and St. Louis Cardinals (2-0; May 2-4)… Halos went 5-2 on last homestand against Kansas City (2-1) and Oakland (3-1)…LAA was 2-5 on last road trip against the Boston Red Sox (1-3) and New York Yankees (1-2).
ABOUT LAST NIGHT: Last night, Angels tallied three runs in the top of the 9th inning to rally for a 6-4 victory…Marked Angels first victory this season when trailing after seven and eight innings and first final at-bat win of the year.
SURF AND TURF: Last night, Mike Trout recorded his fifth career go-ahead home run in the 9th inning-or-later and first since June 18, 2022 (Game 1) at Seattle… Jake Lamb hit his fifth career pinch-hit home run last night and tied the game in the top of the 9th inning; it was the Angels first game-tying pinch-hit HR in the 9th inning-or-later since Dallas McPherson on June 29, 2005 at Texas.
SWEEP SEEKING: With a win today, Angels would secure first series sweep of the season…Last season, Halos had five series sweeps of at least three games.
LEAGUE LEADER: Shohei Ohtani, leads the Majors in strikeouts (59) and opponent batting average (.125), and ranks seventh in WHIP (0.87).
HIGH WATER MARK: With a 17-14 record, Halos are a season-high three games over .500…First time at three games over .500 since June 2, 2022 (27-24; after Game 1 of doubleheader at NYY)…With a win today, Angels would move to four games over .500 for first time since June 1, 2022 (27-23).
STREAKING: Angels current three game win streak is tied for longest of the season (third three-game win streak of 2023)…Seeking first four game win streak since a seven game streak from Sept. 25 – Oct. 2, 2022.
SNAPPED: With five hits allowed last night, Shohei Ohtani snapped his streak of 10 straight pitching starts allowing three-or-fewer hits…The streak finishes tied for the longest in MLB history, excluding Openers…The only other pitcher to go 10 straight starts with threeor-fewer hits was Jacob deGrom for the Mets in 2021.
500K: Last night, Shohei Ohtani matched his MLB single-game career high with 13 strikeouts and finished the night with 500 career MLB strikeouts…Is the 10th Japanese-born pitcher with 500 strikeouts in the Majors…Reached 500 strikeouts in 388.2 IP, which is second fastest as a starting pitcher all-time, behind Corbin Burnes (365 IP). (ELIAS).
THE BABE AND I: Shohei Ohtani is one pitching strikeout shy of matching the career total for Babe Ruth (according to ELIAS, Ruth had 501 career pitching strikeouts)…Ruth and Ohtani are the only players all-time with 500+ pitching strikeouts and 100+ home runs in a career.
*Note: Ruth’s overview page on Baseball Reference and MLB.com list 488 career strikeouts…That does not match his total strikeouts when adding up totals from his individual yearly game logs on the sites
VS. ST. LOUIS: Today is the third (2-0) and final game of the season series between the Angels and Cardinals… LAA is seeking first ever series sweep vs. St. Louis… This is Halos first series against the Cardinals since June 21-23, 2019 at Busch Stadium…Angels are 9-11 all-time vs. Cardinals (7-7 in St. Louis and 6-5 at current Busch Stadium).
A NEW ERA IN THE SERIES: Albert Pujols, who currently works for the Angels as a Special Assistant to the Club, started each of the first 18 games between the Angels and Cardinals…Tuesday’s game was the first ever matchup between the teams without Pujols in the lineup.
UNEARNED: Angels have allowed 20 unearned runs this season (tied with Rockies for most in Majors).
PLAY FROM AHEAD: Halos have held leads in 26 of 31 games played this year.
INTERLEAGUE PLAY: LAA owns a 266-226 (.541) all-time Interleague record (5-3 in 2023)…The 266 all-time Interleague wins are third most all time behind Red Sox (290) and Yankees (285).
NET-OW: Zack Neto exited last night’s game with a right finger contusion…He has been hit by seven pitches this season, which is tied for second-most in the Majors…Since 1901, Neto’s seven HBP through his first 15 career games are the most in MLB…He also was the first player in Angels history to be hit a pitch in four consecutive games (April 18-21).
ALL OVER THE INFIELD: Gio Urshela is one of five players in the Majors to appear at all four infield positions this season…He has made 11 starts at first base, eight starts each at third base, seven at shortstop and one game at second base.
AFTER APRIL: Angels finished month of April with a 15- 14 record…Third consecutive season with a .500-orbetter record at the end of April…For the month, Halos offense ranked third in HR (39) and fourth in runs (148), hits (246) and total bases (409)…Shohei Ohtani,
Hunter Renfroe and Mike Trout each finished April with seven HR, marking first time in LAA history that three players had 7+ HR by the end of April.
HISTORICAL SERIES: During the Angels last home series vs. Oakland, Brandon Drury hit .600 (9/15) with seven runs, two doubles, one triple, four home runs, 12 RBI and three walks in the four games against the A’s…His 12 RBI are a new franchise record for a single series and seven XBH hits tie a franchise record for a series.
RANGERS ON DECK: Following the current series in St. Louis, the Angels will return home and begin a three-game series on Friday against the Texas Rangers…Will mark the first meeting of 2023 between the teams… Last year, Texas won the season series 10-9.
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER – RHP GRIFFIN CANNING
1-0, 4.11 ERA
In nine career Interleague games, is 3-1 with a 3.61 ERA (47.1 IP – 19 ER)
• TODAY’S GAME: Making fourth start of the season and second on the road…Is in fourth Major League season with Angels.
• LAST TIME OUT: Earned the win in last start on April 25 vs. Oakland after tossing a 5.0 innings and allowing three earned runs on four hits with two walks and seven strikeouts; marked first winning decision since June 9, 2021 vs. Kansas City.
• 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.
• THAT’S RIGHT: Through three starts this year, has held righties to a .200 average (6/30) compared with a .269 (7/26) opponent average against left-handers…However both HR allowed this year have been vs. righthanders.
• GETTING AHEAD: Recorded a first pitch strike on 62.9% (39/62) of his batter faced this season.
• UNFAMILIAR FOES: In his career as a starter, has held opponents to a .205 average (70/341) in opposing batter’s first plate appearances of a game.
• VS. ST. LOUIS: Today is second career pitching appearance vs. Cardinals…Took loss in only previous start on June 21, 2019 at Busch Stadium (L; 5.1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO)
• AT BUSCH STADIUM: Is 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA (5.1 IP – 2 ER) in St. Louis following only previous start at the ballpark on June 21, 2019.
• INTERLEAGUE PLAY: In nine career Interleague games, is 3-1 with a 3.61 ERA (47.1 IP – 19 ER) and 42 strikeouts…This season, is 0-0 with a 3.60 ERA (5 IP – 2 ER) following first Interleague start on April 12 vs. Nationals.
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS NOTES:
RECENT REDBIRDS: The Cardinals, who opened a six-game homestand (LAA3, DET-3) on Monday, look to avoid their 3rd series sweep of the season, and first ever against the Angels, this afternoon. The Cardinals have lost a season-high five straight, their longest skid since a six-gamer in 2021…the Cardinals returned home from a 10-game (1-2 at SEA, 1-3 at SF, 0-3 at LAD) west coast trip that saw them go just 2-8, wrapping up with a 3-game series sweep by the Dodgers last weekend…it was the Cardinals first west coast swing since 1978 that consisted of 10+ games and produced just two wins…the Redbirds have won two of their first 10 series this season, and split one.
SIZING UP SOME NEW RED JACKETS: The Cardinals announced last night that David Freese, Max Lanier and José Oquendo will be inducted into the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame as the 9th induction class since the team dedicated their Hall of Fame with an inaugural class on Opening Day in 2014. An enshrinement ceremony will be held at Ballpark Village during Hall of Fame Weekend presented by Edward Jones on Sunday, August 20…the trio will join the 50 previous inductees to the team’s Hall of Fame.
PORT SIDE POWER: With his team-leading 7th home run of the season last night, Nolan Gorman joined Carl Sawatski (1960-63) as the lone Cardinals to have hit 20+ career home runs – all against right-handed pitchers…Sawatksi bashed all 35 of his homers as a Cardinal off rightys…to date, Lars Nootbaar has hit 19 of his 21 career homers off righties (91 pct). See chart at left. (Orf)
THE MERRY MERRY MONTH OF MAY: Since moving into Busch Stadium III in 2006, the Cardinals have compiled a .500 or better record in the month of May in 12 of 16 seasons (missed 2000 due to COVID)…their best May in that time span was a 20-7 mark (.741 win pct.) in 2013, and their worst was a 9-18 (.333) spiral in 2019 on the heels of a strong 19-10 (.655) March/April start…the 2002 Cards began 12-14 in April before rebounding to go 18-10 in May and make the postseason…the 1985 Cards were 8-11 in April, then went 93-50 to close out their NL Championship season.
WESTERN WEAR: Today’s game is the last of 16 straight against opponents from the NL and AL West Divisions (St. Louis is 68-63 combined vs. both West Divisions since 2019).
L.A. STORY: Today’s game concludes a stretch of six straight vs. Major League teams from the Los Angeles area (April 28-30 at Dodger Stadium and May 2-4 vs. Angels at Busch Stadium) … The only other time St. Louis has played back-to-back series against the Dodgers and Angels was 2016: May 10-12 at Angel Stadium (3-0) and May 13-15 at Dodger Stadium (1-2).
MVP FACTORIES: The Cardinals, along with the Angels and Tigers, who they will host on this homestand, have produced a combined 12 league Most Valuable Players over the past 19 seasons, including each of the past two years (Goldschmidt-2022, Ohtani-2021)… the Angels have had 5 MVPs since 2004, the Cardinals 4 and the Tigers 3 (see chart at left)…overall, the Cardinals have won 21 MVP awards (2nd most to the Yankees, 23), the Tigers have 12 and the Angels 6.
IT STARTS HERE: The Cardinals have held their opponents scoreless thru at least the 1st three innings in 8 of their 31 games to begin the season, including three games that resulted in shutout victories…however in those same eight games, the opposition has matched the Cardinals effort by twirling two shutout wins of their own…the Cardinals are 8-7 when scoring first this season, but 2-14 when allowing their opponents to get on the board first.
SNAZZY SOPHOMORES: Three Cardinals sophomores are ranked among the MLB leaders for those playing in their 2nd season…Nolan Gorman (.914), Brendan Donovan (.684) and Alec Burleson (.687) are all ranked in the top-20 for OPS among 2nd year players in MLB… Gorman is leading the NL sophomores with his 23 RBIs and he’s T1st (Outman, LAD) in HR’s with 7.
STOP THE STREAKS: The Cardinals, while having now lost a season-high five straight, have not converted a save in 17-straight games since April 14 (Gallegos vs. PIT). They snapped a season-high 4-game homerless streak with a pair of round-trippers last night.
SURELY YOU CAN’T BE SERIES-OUS?: St. Louis is the lone MLB team to be winless (0-10) in series openers this season, marking a franchise record of consecutive series-opening losses to begin a season. The MLB record still resides in the same city with the 1897 St. Louis Browns dropping their first 14 series openers. The 1978 Cardinals lost 20 straight series opening games from April 14-June 16, marking the franchise record for longest streak. (Elias)
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER: RHP JACK FLAHERTY (2-3, 3.94)
TODAY’S GAME
NL Ranks: Opponent BA (.225, 14th), Ground Into Double Plays (8, 1st), GIDP/9 IP (2.25, 1st*), Walks (21, 2nd), Hits/9 IP (7.03, 11th)
• Makes his 7th start of the season today, but just his 2nd at home.
• Is facing the Angels for the 1st time in his career, one of six MLB teams he has not yet pitched against. (LAA, BAL, BOS, NYY, TB, STL).
• Allowed 7 hits in 4.2 IP last Fri. (4/28) at LAD, snapping his string of allowing six or fewer hits in 30 consecutive starts dating back to Sept. 20, 2020, longest such streak in Cardinals history. Jack hold the top three streaks in Cardinals history (22 from 2019-20 & 21 in 2018). His streak of 30 such games was one game shy of tying Shohei Ohtani and Nolan Ryan (31) for 5th place all-time in MLB history.
• Has walked just eight batters over his last four starts after leading the National League with 13 walks over his first two starts of the season.
• Needs two strikeouts today to tie Howie Pollet (1941-51) for 26th all-time in Cardinals history, but would do it in about 840 fewer innings pitched.
• Owns a career mark of 7-3, 2.80 ERA in 15 career starts in the month of May. He’s 16-9, 2.49 ERA in 38 career games (37 starts) in day games.
• Trails only Wainwright & DeJong in years of Cardinals service on 40-player roster.
• Has held his opposition to a .207 career batting average, ranking 15th among MLB pitchers with more than 500 career innings pitched in the Live Ball Era (post-1920); just behind Nolan Ryan (12th, .204), Sandy Koufax (13th, .205) and Joe Nathan (14th, .206).
• Missed a total of 122 games last season due to a right shoulder injury (64 games from April 7-June 14 and another 58 games from June 27-Sept.4). Missed 88 games in 2021 with an oblique injury.
• Since becoming a full-time starting pitcher in 2018, ranks 16th among MLB pitchers with a 10.27 strikeouts/9 IP (min. 500 IP).
• St. Louis sports a 55-49 overall record in Flaherty’s 104 career starts. In his first 51 starts from his MLB debut (9/1/2017) until the 2019 All-Star Break, St. Louis went 21-30 (.412). In his last 53 starts (July 16, 2019-present), St. Louis is 34-19 (.642).
• In 104 career starts, is 34-9 when receiving 2+ runs of support, 27-1 when receiving 3+ runs, and 23-0 with 4+ runs of support. Has received 2 or fewer runs of support in 63 of 104 (60.6%) career starts. Has 23 starts with zero runs of support.
• Is 20-14 in 51 career games (48 starts) at Busch Stadium. His .188 opponent batting average is the lowest in stadium history (min. 100 IP), while his 296 strikeouts (8th) and 2.86 ERA (10th) at Busch both rank in the Top 10 among all pitchers in the ballpark’s history (since 2006). Needs one strikeout to tie Kyle Lohse (297) for 7th all-time in stadium history.
LAST TIME OUT
• Suffered a 7-3 defeat last Fri. (4/28) at Dodger Stadium, snapping his streak if 30 consecutive starts having allowed six or fewer hits. It was his shortest outing (4.2 IP) of the season, but he threw a season-high 110 pitches.
DATE vs. RESULT DEC IP H R ER BB SO HR NP-S
4/28 @LAD L 7-3 L-3 4.2 7 5 4 2 7 1 110-68
2023
• Earned his 2nd win of the season and struck out a season-high nine batters allowing just three runs on five hits over 6.0 IP on 4/23 at SEA. All the action but one single occurred in the first two innings and he retired 12 of his last 13 batters faced including seven by strikeout.
• Took a 6-3 loss allowing four runs on four hits over a season-high 6.0 innings vs. ATL (4/17). Induced two double plays moving his National League leading total to seven on the season. Retired 10 consecutive batters from the 2nd-5th innings.
• Ran his streak of consecutive games with six hits or less to 27 in a 4-0 loss at MIL (4/7). Allowed just two runs on four hits. His 60th career start receiving two runs of support or less. Walked six batters in the game, first Cardinals pitcher to walk 6+ batters in consecutive games since Carlos Martínez (2018).
• Threw 5.0 innings of no-hit ball in his first start of the season vs. TOR (4/1), became the 16th pitcher since 1901 to issue seven walks in a scoreless and hitless outing of any length (Langs); and the 5th pitcher in Cardinals history to pitch exactly 5.0 innings
