In his seventh attempt, Angel starter Joel Pineiro notched his 100th career win Friday night as the Angels take the first of three games in New York by the score of 4-3. With the win, the Angels continue to have success on the road against their national league opponents. Since 2007, the Angels have a major league best 27-10 record in NL parks.
Pineiro’s first win came 11 years ago against the White Sox in his major league debut for the Seattle Mariners. In start three hundred and eighteen, Pineiro (3-3) went 6.1 innings, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits, while striking out 4 and walking three.
The Angels opened the scoring in the 2nd inning when Howie Kendrick hit his 17th double of the season and scored on a throwing error by Mets’ third baseman Justin Turner.
After the Mets tied the game in the bottom of the 2nd, Vernon Wells singled to left, driving in Macier Izturis in the 3rd giving the Angels a brief lead. The Mets once agani tied the game in their half of the inning when Angel Pagan hit a run scoring single to right to plate Turner.
The Halos took the lead for good in the 6th when Peter Bourjos lined a two-out double down the left field line to score Kendrick and Mark Trumbo after both had singled. Bourjos then preserved the lead in the bottom half of the inning by making another brilliant defensive play as he leaped up against the left field fence robbing Ronny Paulino of a sure extra-base hit.
Jordan Walden pitched the 9th to record his 16th save in 19 opportunities. The inning started shaky for Walden when he walked the first two batters he faced, but struck out the next three to preserve Pineiro’s milestone game.