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LAst Night's Action: Kendrys Big Bang Lifts the Angels
Photo by cindyvazquez-zavala via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr.
LA Angels defeat Oakland Athletics 6-0. With the Angels returning home a bit battered and bruised with a 3-6 record, they needed something to lift some spirits. Enter Kendrys Morales.
The last homer that Morales hit was on May 29, 2010 walkoff grand slam against Seattle. Most people will remember the aftermath of that homer: when Morales jumped up to touch home plate with his teammates surrounding the plate ready to pounce, he landed awkwardly which essentially caused his lower left leg to implode. It took almost two years, but Morales finally got back on the team this season.
Things looked good for Morales to start the season hitting .417 in the opening three-game homestand against Kansas City looking almost as if he missed nothing. But on the six-game roadie, he started scuffling dropping his average down to .200.
With Howie Kendrick and Albert Pujols on the corners, Morales took a 3-2 pitch and deposited it into the rock pile against A's starter Brandon McCarthy. To prove it was no fluke, Morales also hit an RBI double in the eighth inning to start the three-run rally.
The starter on that game in 2010 was Jered Weaver. Thankfully Morales' heroics was in the first inning which gave Weaver the win this time around. Weaver went 6 2/3 innings pitching a five-hit shutout while walk one and striking out six.
The only gripe would be the three fielding errors the Angels committed, notably the two in the top of the ninth inning that allowed the A's to load the bases.
LA Clippers defeat Oklahoma City Thunder 92-77. You know how the Lakers look against the Thunder? Well that's how the Thunder look against the Clippers. Against the best team in the Western Conference, the Clippers win the season series 3-1 thanks to a furious second half comeback.
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Before the game started, the Denver Nuggets beat the Houston Rockets 105-102 which clinched a playoff spot for the Clippers for the first time since 2006. And it looked like they were content for just that allowing the Thunder to dominate the first half with a 52-43 lead. But they focused on defense in the second half allowing only 25 points in the second half.
Chris Paul scored 12 points and 10 assists while Blake Griffin had 17 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and four blocks.
The Clippers are a game behind the Lakers for the third spot in the conference and jump out to 2 1/2 games ahead of fifth place Memphis.
TONIGHT'S ACTION
LA Dodgers at Milwaukee Brewers. 5:10 p.m. KCAL9, AM 570 KLAC.
Oakland Athletics at LA Angels. 7:05 p.m. FSWest, AM 830 KLAA.
San Antonio Spurs at LA Lakers. 7:30 p.m. TNT, AM 710 KSPN.
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