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Around SBN: The Week In Worst: When Baseball Goes Wrong

Angels Playoff Hopes Disappear With Loss To Rangers

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Dan Haren ended his season at 16-10 with a 3.17 ERA.

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Update

Angels Vs. Rangers: Halos Eliminated With 4-3 Loss

Elvis Andrus collected four hits and Adrian Beltre delivered a two-run home run, lifting the Texas Rangers to a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels Monday night in Anaheim, eliminating the Halos from the postseason. The Angels had a razor-thin margin of error, as heading into Monday's game, they needed to sweep the Rangers and hope both the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays lost their final two games.

The best case scenario for the Halos was a three-team playoff that would have begun with the Angels heading to Boston on Thursday, with the winner hosting Tampa Bay on Friday.

The Angels were down 4-2 entering the bottom of the ninth, and pulled to within one, putting the tying run on base with two outs in the form of Peter Bourjos, but Neftali Feliz was able to retire Howie Kendrick to close out the game.

Dan Haren allowed four runs in eight innings to take the loss. He finished his 2011 campaign with a 16-10 record and 3.17 ERA, setting career highs in wins, innings pitched (238 1/3) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.82). Haren ended with 192 strikeouts and 33 walks in 34 starts this season.

C.J. Wilson started for the Rangers, but he only pitched two innings as a tune-up for Saturday's start in Game 1 of the ALDS. Five relief pitchers combined to pitch the final seven innings.

For more Angels news, be sure to read Halos Heaven.

Update

Angels' Mark Trumbo Out Six Weeks With Stress Fracture In Right Foot

Mark Trumbo, the rookie first baseman for the Los Angeles Angels who leads the team in home runs and RBI despite a .291 on-base percentage, will miss the final three games of the regular season. Trumbo has a stress fracture in his right foot. Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times explains:

Angels 1B mark Trumbo has stress fracture in bone on top of right foot, out for last three games, down for 6 weeks but no surgery.

No Angels rookie has ever led the team in both home runs and RBI, and Trumbo has an excellent shot to do just that. Trumbo's 29 home runs are four more than Vernon Wells and six more than Torii Hunter, and Trumbo's 87 runs batted in are five more than Hunter.

Monday night's 7:05 p.m. game, will be televised by Fox Sports West. For more Angels news, be sure to read Halos Heaven.

Update

Angels Vs. Rangers: Monday Starting Lineups

Here are the starting lineups for Monday's series opener between the Los Angeles Angels and Texas Rangers at Angel Stadium in Anaheim:

Rangers (93-66)

Kinsler DH
Andrus SS
Hamilton CF
Young 2B
Beltre 3B
Napoli 1B
Cruz RF
Murphy LF
Torrealba C

Angels (86-73)

Izturis 2B
Bourjos CF
Kendrick 1B
Hunter DH
Wells LF
Callaspo 3B
Trout RF
Aybar SS
Mathis C

Monday night's 7:05 p.m. game, will be televised by Fox Sports West. For more Angels news, be sure to read Halos Heaven.

Original Story

Dan Haren Opens Angels Final Series With Rangers

In a series that was supposed to mean something much more, the Los Angeles Angels host the 2011 American League West champion Texas Rangers in the final three regular season games in Anaheim. Dan Haren gets the start for the Angels, who are in desperate need of wins and help if they are to make the postseason.

The Angels not only need to sweep the Rangers, but they also need the Boston Red Sox to lose three straight on the road against the Baltimore Orioles, and they need the Tampa Bay Rays to lose at least two out of three at home against the New York Yankees. If by some chance all of these things happen, the Angels would then need to win a two- or three-team playoff for the wild card, which would begin on Thursday.

But first things first, the Angels can only control their portion of the schedule, which includes throwing their three best pitchers at the Rangers. Haren won his last start in Toronto by allowing one run in eight innings, but he also took a ball off his wrist. He goes for his career high 17th victory Monday night, and also looks to end the season with more starts than walks. Haren currently has 32 walks in 33 starts this season.

C.J. Wilson starts for the Rangers, but will likely only throw a few innings, as he is slated to start Game 1 of the ALDS on Saturday.

Monday night's 7:05 p.m. game, will be televised by Fox Sports West. For more Angels news, be sure to read Halos Heaven.

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