ERSTAD DELIVERS KEY HIT CRASHES INTO BRAVES CATCHER TO LIFT ANGELS ANGELS 4, ATLANTA 2.Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer ATLANTA - Rounding third and headed for home, Darin Erstad Darin Charles Erstad (born June 4, 1974 in Jamestown, North Dakota) is a first baseman/center fielder in Major League Baseball currently with the Chicago White Sox. Prior to 2007, he had played his entire career with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim franchise (1996-2006). carried with him 215 pounds of body weight and the go-ahead run. The throw to catcher Johnny Estrada Johnny Pulado Estrada III (born June 27, 1976 in Hayward, California), is a Major League Baseball player. Estrada, a right-handed thrower and switch hitter, plays catcher. Estrada was selected in the 17th round of the June 1997 draft by the Philadelphia Phillies. arrived first, and Erstad did what came naturally. He lowered his left shoulder and bowled over the Atlanta Braves' catcher, knocking the baseball loose and scoring the decisive run in the Angels' 4-2 victory in front of 23,104 at Turner Field • • [ . ``Coming around third, I looked back and saw the relay guy (second baseman second baseman n. Baseball The infielder who is positioned near and to the first-base side of second base. Noun 1. second baseman - (baseball) the person who plays second base second sacker Marcus Giles Marcus William Giles (born May 18, 1978 in San Diego, California) is a San Diego Padres Major League Baseball player who most recently played for the Atlanta Braves. He is a second baseman and bats right-handed. ) had the ball,'' Erstad said. ``It just happened. I felt I got to the point of no return; I was a dead duck dead duck n. Slang One doomed to failure or to death. dead duck Noun Slang something that is doomed to failure Noun 1. , and I had to make a play.'' Estrada remained flat on his back for several minutes before he was helped off the field and taken to an area hospital to be checked for head and neck injuries. An evaluation was not immediately available. Erstad sustained a four-inch gash on his left shoulder from contact with Estrada's face mask Face mask The simplest way of delivering a high level of oxygen to patients with ARDS or other low-oxygen conditions. Mentioned in: Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome . He said the shoulder is sore but that he'd be ready to play today. The Angels had come into the eighth inning trailing the Braves, and pitcher John Smoltz John Andrew Smoltz (born May 15, 1967 in Warren, Michigan) is a Major League Baseball player currently playing with the Atlanta Braves. He is predominantly known as a starter and former Cy Young Award winner. , 2-1. Chone Figgins Desmond DeChone "Chone" Figgins (born January 22, 1978 in Leary, Georgia) is a Major League Baseball utility player for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Despite the unusual spelling of his first name, "Chone" is pronounced as "Shawn. and Erstad started off the inning with back-to-back singles, putting runners at first and third. One out later, Garret Anderson ripped a line drive into the right-field corner, scoring Figgins. Not far behind, Erstad was waved home by third-base coach Ron Roenicke. The relay throw from Giles beat Erstad but was on the first-base side of the plate, and Estrada had the plate blocked with his left leg. After the play, some of the Braves barked from their dugout at Erstad. ``I thought he could have slid outside, but I've played against Erstad, and that's his mentality,'' Braves infielder Julio Franco said. ``He plays the game like a football player. I don't mind the hit - that's the way he plays the game. I mind the location of the hit. Hitting a guy like that in his face can cause a lot of major damage to him.'' Erstad said he understood the Braves' complaints, but the football reference, he argued, doesn't fit, because he was ``only a punter'' at the University of Nebraska. ``They're just sticking up for their guys,'' he said. ``We'd do the same thing.'' Erstad said he tried calling Estrada in the Braves' clubhouse, but Estrada already was on the way to the hospital. ``Never in a million years would I intend to hurt somebody. I can't even fathom that,'' he said. ``I just hope he's OK.'' Everybody in the Angels' clubhouse stood behind Erstad. ``I can only tell you about Darin Erstad and his integrity, how hard he plays the game and how clean he plays the game,'' manager Mike Scioscia said. ``He's trying to score a run. It's baseball. It's a tough play.'' Smoltz was perfect for 4 2/3 innings, retiring the first 14 batters he faced before Bengie Molina singled with two outs in the fifth. The Braves' runs came on Adam LaRoche's no-doubt-about-it home run, a two-run blast to right field with Estrada on first in the fourth inning. Joe Haakenson, (626) 962-8811 joe.haakenson(at)sgvn.com CAPTION(S): photo, 4 boxes Photo: Atlanta shortstop Rafael Furcal tags out the Angels' Bengie Molina on an attempted steal at second during Monday's game at Turner Field. John Bazemore/Associated Press Box: (1) ANGELS at ATLANTA - Joe Haakenson (2) GAME RECAP (3) HOW THE RUNS SCORED (4) ALMANAC almanac, originally, a calendar with notations of astronomical and other data. Almanacs have been known in simple form almost since the invention of writing, for they served to record religious feasts, seasonal changes, and the like. |
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