OC Register: Andrew Heaney delivers for Angels in 3-1 victory over A’s

[AngelsWin.com]

• Los Angeles Angels second baseman Kaleb Cowart makes a diving catch on a gourd ball hit by Oakland Athletics’ Matt Chapman during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. Chapman was thrown out at first on the play. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

• Los Angeles Angels’ C.J. Cron, right, is tagged out by Oakland Athletics catcher Dustin Garneau after being caught between third and home on a fielder’s choice hit by Cameron Maybin during the second inning of a baseball game, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

• Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Daniel Gossett throws to the plate during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

• Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Andrew Heaney throws to the plate during the first inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

• Oakland Athletics’ Dustin Garneau, center, is congratulated by Marcus Semien, left, after hitting a solo home run as Los Angeles Angels catcher Martin Maldonado kneels at the plate during the third inning of a baseball game, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Martin Maldonado, left, is congratulated by Ben Revere after scoring on a double by Kaleb Cowart during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

• Oakland Athletics left fielder Khris Davis can’t get to a ball hit for an RBI double by Los Angeles Angels’ Kaleb Cowart during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Ben Revere, right, is tagged out by Oakland Athletics second baseman Chad Pinder as he tries to steal second during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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ANAHEIM — The Angels’ 3-1 victory over the Oakland A’s on Monday night was one of those games that allows a team and its fans to think beyond one day.

Andrew Heaney, the No. 2 starter the Angels have had on the shelf for most of the past 17 months, finally pitched the kind of game the club had hoped to see.

Heaney held the A’s to just a solo homer in six innings. He struck out 10, a career high. It was a performance that allowed the Angels to think of the boost he could provide a tattered rotation down the stretch

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Heaney’s issues in his first two starts — nine runs on seven homers in 10 innings — were a lack of command with his fastball and changeup and a lack of confidence to throw his curveball much at all.

Before he took the ball on Monday night, Manager Mike Scioscia said he was confident Heaney would turn it around because the stuff was all good.

“When you evaluate his stuff, he’s getting good grades as far as his velocity, his changeup,” Scioscia said. “He’s not spinning the ball like he can right now, but he worked hard on it in between (starts). His command is something he’s sensitive to. When he’s on he can really paint. The results have not been there but the tools are there.”

The first sign that Heaney was in for a better night came on his first pitch of the game, a curveball for a strike. He would go on to strike out the side, getting one with a fastball, one with a changeup and one with a curve.

It was one of Heaney’s three strikeouts on his curve, which he continued to throw throughout the game.

The only run he allowed came on a 2-and-1 fastball over the middle to rookie catcher Dustin Garneau, who hit it out to left field.

Heaney then retired eight in a row until Garneau came up again, when he temporarily lost it. Heaney walked Garneau and then walked Marcus Semien. He also threw two wild pitches, putting runners at second and third with two outs. He came back to strike out Chad Pinder to escape.

If there was any doubt that the two walks were a sign of Heaney fading, he answered them emphatically when he went back out for the sixth.

He struck out the side in the sixth — fanning Jed Lowrie, Khris Davis and Ryon Healy, their 3-4-5 hitters. His fastball topped out at 96 mph in his last inning.

The Angels had supported Heaney with a run in the first on Kole Calhoun’s two-out RBI single and one in the fourth on a Kaleb Cowart double.

Keynan Middleton protected the 2-1 lead in the seventh, ending it on a strikeout with a 98 mph fastball. The Angels then scored an insurance run when Martin Maldonado scored on Ben Revere’s double and an error by right fielder Matt Joyce.

Yusmeiro Petit worked the eighth, escaping with the help of a nice catch by Revere on a line drive over his head. Blake Parker worked the ninth, striking out the side while walking one for his second save in three games.

More to come on this story.

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