Kole Calhoun continued to be a thorn in the side of the Los Angeles Dodgers as he led the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to a 3-2 win at Dodger Stadium. The Angels swept the season Freeway Series for the first time in franchise history.
Prior to this season, the only sweep in the longstanding Freeway Series was by the Dodgers in 1997 (four games), which was the first year of Interleague play. Even with their back-to-back victories, the Angels have won just five of their past 13 games at Dodger Stadium.
Calhoun jumpstarted the Angels with an RBI double in the first inning and extended their lead to 2-0 in the fourth. He entered play batting a lifetime .341/.408/.773 with four doubles, five home runs and six RBI in 13 career games (11 starts) at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers cut their deficit in half in the bottom of the fourth inning behind Justin Turner’s solo home run to center field. The hit was Turner’s second of the game, as he singled in the bottom of the first but was stranded by Cody Bellinger.
That was the lone run Jaime Barria allowed as he navigated his way through five innings. Barria was followed by Luis Garcia, who ran into some trouble in the sixth and failed to get through the inning.
Garcia exited with two outs and a responsible for Bellinger on second base. He scored when Corey Seager greeted Adalberto Mejia with an RBI base hit to bring Matt Beaty up as the go-ahead run. The rookie has enjoyed several memorable moments this season but couldn’t produce another.
The Dodgers had the tying and go-ahead runs reach with one out in the seventh inning, only for Max Muncy to hit back to the mound for the start of a double play. L.A. threatened again in the eighth, with Turner hitting a leadoff single.
Albeit with home-plate umpire Dan Iassogna continuing to struggle with the strike zone, the Dodgers again squandered an opportunity. Bellinger was called out on strikes and later ejected for arguing, and A.J. Pollock hit into a double play.
Aside from what’s now a two-game losing streak, the Dodgers are facing some injury concern. Kiké Hernandez was removed early due to left hand soreness, and Ross Stripling came out after just 62 pitches and five innings because of a stiff neck.
