DUEL OF THE KEVINS GOES TO APPIER.Byline: KEVIN MODESTI Kevin Appier Appier's Angels began the afternoon under gray clouds and the threat of an embarrassing sweep by the Dodgers. They were in danger of going three games under .500, at 35-38, for the first time since May 6, when they were 14-17. They could have fallen a season-worst 14 1/2 behind first-place Seattle and a season-worst eight behind wild-card leader Oakland. Lose this one, and the wheels come off the Angels' championship defense right there on Interstate 5 between L.A. and Anaheim. ``It was bigger than this individual game,'' Appier said after the Angels' 6-3 victory in front of 54,631 at Dodger Stadium • • [ . ``We've been in a rut a little bit, you know? At times like that, it seems like it's a little harder to just win.'' Add to that the fact Appier clearly was the other Kevin in this matchup, his pitching opponent being 10-1 Kevin Brown The name Kevin Brown can refer to several different people, including the following:
What the old Antelope Valley high school Antelope Valley High School is located in Lancaster, California and is part of the Antelope Valley Union High School District. It was founded in 1912[1]. It is located in the Mojave Desert. and junior-college star produced looks like a modest thing in the box score. Five innings. Seven hits allowed. One third-inning run scored on two-out hits by Shawn Green Shawn David Green (born November 10, 1972, in Des Plaines, Illinois) is a 6' 4" left-handed Major League Baseball player. Green is the starting right fielder for the New York Mets.[1] Green was a 1st round draft pick, and has been a two-time major league All-Star. and Paul Lo Duca Paul Anthony Lo Duca (born April 12, 1972 in Brooklyn, New York) is a catcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the New York Mets. Previously, Lo Duca played for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1998-2004) and Florida Marlins (2004-2005). . A whopping 105 pitches, indicating the Dodgers' knack for fouling off strikes as much as Appier's tendency to tease with his slow breaking stuff. But it was good enough to best Brown and hand a lead to relievers Ben Weber William Jennings Bryan "Ben" Weber (born July 23, 1916 in St. Louis - died June 16, 1979 in New York) was America's first twelve tone composer. Weber, completely self-taught as a composer, was in the late 30s part of a Chicago musical group that included George Perle and , Brendan Donnelly Brendan Kevin Donnelly (b. July 4, 1971 in Washington, D.C.) is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher with the Boston Red Sox. Donnelly had bounced around the minor leagues for 10 seasons after he was drafted in 1992 by the Chicago White Sox before he finally made his and Troy Percival Troy Eugene Percival (born August 9, 1969 in Fontana, California) is a Major League Baseball reliever on the St. Louis Cardinals. Percival came out of retirement on June 8, 2007 when he signed a minor league deal with the Cardinals[1]. . Just what the Angels have been needing and not getting in a season for which the blame rests squarely on the pitching mound. Appier kept bringing the Angels back from the brink Back from the Brink can refer to:
``That's what we need, a guy to give our offense a chance to work,'' manager Mike Scioscia said. ``You look at a guy like Kevin Appier, what he did (Sunday), and you look at a guy like Aaron Sele, what he did in his last start - that's what we need.'' Sele, 33 in three days, had a similar five-inning performance Wednesday, though the Angels lost the game at Seattle 2-0. ``I guess the old guys were able to do it,'' Appier, 35, said with a laugh. Including Ramon Ortiz's 7 2/3 shutout innings in a 2-0 victory at Seattle on Thursday, Angels starters allowed zero or one run three times in the latest turn through the five-man rotation. Great if it lasts. The deficits are 12 1/2 games to Seattle and seven to Oakland. Manageable if things turn around quickly and dramatically. ``We feel like there's pretty good talent on this staff and we haven't been pitching up to our potential,'' said Appier, who's 5-4 now, working on a fifth consecutive season with a record a shade above break-even. ``You can't panic, though. Everybody's busting their butt. We were in a hole last year and wound up getting the wild card and, obviously, winning the World Series.'' During which, it was Appier whose turn fell in World Series Game 6, with San Francisco one win from the title. He shut out the Giants for four innings before giving up three runs in the fifth. The Angels trailed 5-0 before launching the greatest Series-saving rally in history. ``We weren't hoping to have to rely on our ability to come back this year,'' Appier said, ``but we're behind now. I think we have the talent. We just need to do it.'' At times like these, Scioscia's old Dodgers manager Tom Lasorda would have pulled out the 1914 Braves speech, telling his players how Boston trailed by 15 games on the Fourth of July Fourth of July, Independence Day, or July Fourth, U.S. holiday, commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Celebration of it began during the American Revolution. and wound up winning the World Series. Scioscia doesn't think he has to reach that far back for inspiration. His players are basically the same ones who won the World Series eight months ago. They open a three-game series against Seattle at Edison Field on Tuesday. Merely avoiding a sweep won't do anymore. The long-delayed move has to begin now. ``We're not really looking at who we're playing. We've got to bring our game to the ballpark, like we did (Sunday),'' Scioscia said. ``This club is good. We're going to get on the stride we need. We're going to stay with our plan.'' If the hitters aren't hitting, a manager can shake up his lineup. If the starting pitchers aren't doing the job, his options are more limited. Right now every Angels starter has an ERA above his 2002 and career levels. The old guy from Lancaster showed a better way to do it Sunday. There's nothing bigger that any Angel could have done. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Three Angels starters, including Kevin Appier (pictured), have allowed zero or one run in the latest turn through the rotation. Ric Francis/Associated Press |
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