Morales’ 2 HRs, 6 RBIs help Angels sweep
August 2, 2009
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)—Take away Torii Hunter(notes) and Vladimir Guerrero(notes), and the LosAngeles Angels still have one potent offense.
Kendry Morales(notes) hit two three-run homers to finish with a career-high sixRBIs and the Angels beat the Minnesota Twins 13-4 on Sunday to sweep theirthree-game series.
Los Angeles has won 13 of 15 to improve to an AL-best 63-40 on the year, andMorales is a big reason why. He is batting .368 with nine homers and 24 RBIs inhis last 17 games.
“I’m just taking care of doing my job,” Morales said through aninterpreter. “It’s about me being able to do the job day after day.”
Morales hit his 22nd homer in the fifth as the Angels opened the inning withfive straight hits to chase Glen Perkins(notes). He connected again in the eighth togive Los Angeles a 13-4 lead.
The production of Morales and Bobby Abreu(notes), who had two hits, have kept theAngels atop the American League even with their best two hitters out withinjuries.
Series at a Glance LA Angels 11 Minnesota 5 Fri, Jul 31 – Final 11th LA Angels 11 Minnesota 6 Sat, Aug 1 – Final LA Angels 13 Minnesota 4 Sun, Aug 2 – Final
“Thank God they’re getting out of here,” Twins right fielder Denard Span(notes)said. “The last two days, they were just pretty much stealing our lunch money,kicking our butts.”
Jered Weaver(notes) (11-3) struck out a career-high 11 in 6 1-3 innings for theAngels, allowing four runs and four hits.
Justin Morneau(notes) hit his 28th homer and newly acquired Orlando Cabrera(notes) alsowent deep for Minnesota. Cabrera was obtained in a trade with Oakland on Friday.
Perkins had allowed just one run over 16 innings against the Angels in twocareer starts. But they didn’t miss anything this weekend, finishing with 35runs in the series.
“This was just as much of a ‘wrong place at the wrong time’ than thequality of our team or the quality of our pitchers or anything like that,” saidPerkins, who gave up nine runs, eight earned and 12 hits.
Even little-used Sean Rodriguez(notes), batting ninth, contributed for the Angels.He homered in the second inning and finished with three RBIs in his 12th game ofthe season.
NOTES: Twins LHP Francisco Liriano(notes) said his bullpen session went well. Hemissed his last start due to soreness and swelling in his forearm, but is ontrack to start on Wednesday at Cleveland. … Span reached over the foul wall inright field to make a sprinting grab in the third inning. The play impressed hisfriend Hunter, an eight-time Gold Glove winner, who smiled as he watched theplay from the Angels’ dugout. “I can’t let him leave without him seeing alittle something from his little protege,” Span said.
