OC Register: Angels rally for victory over Rockies

[AngelsWin.com]

THE GAME: Trailing by four runs after two innings, the Angels came back and took the lead with a four-run sixth inning on their way to a 9-7 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Ariz.

PITCHING REPORT: RHP Trevor Cahill got his Angels debut off to a good start with a perfect first inning, but he did not get an out in the second. He walked three and gave up a bloop single, along with a solid double. He was charged with five runs. He said he had trouble finding his rhythm when he got in the stretch. … Cody Allen made his Angels debut with a 13-pitch perfect inning, striking out two. Allen said he was happy with his curveball, which was one of the main issues during his down season last year. “I thought he looked good,” Manager Brad Ausmus said. “I thought he mixed his pitches really well. He threw the curveball for strikes. A good first outing.” … RHP Ty Buttrey pitched a scoreless inning, hitting 98 mph with his fastball. … The Angels’ top two pitching prospects, RHP Griffin Canning and LHP José Suarez, each worked one perfect inning. It was the first time for either in a big-league spring training game. “Clean, efficient, both of them,” Ausmus said. “Not intimidated by the situation. It was good.”

HITTING REPORT: Matt Thaiss reached on an infield single and drove in two runs with a triple. Thaiss is 7 for 10 with five extra-base hits and a team-leading eight RBIs this spring. … Kole Calhoun temporarily changed to a dramatically wide-open stance and he struck out twice and popped up. Calhoun said it was just something he was trying in order to reinforce muscle memory in other parts of his swing. “I don’t know if you want to call it a drill, but I’m trying to do some things with my body,” he said. He added that “it’s probably not what you’ll see on Opening Day, but we’re working on stuff.” … Albert Pujols drew a pair of walks. … Zack Cozart, who came back after missing time with a sore shoulder, lined a double off the left-field fence. … Jose Rojas, up from minor-league camp again, had two doubles and a walk, a day after he hit a three-run homer.

DEFENSE REPORT: Shortstop Andrelton Simmons made a full dive to try to catch a pop-up in shallow left, but the ball was just out of his reach and dropped for a hit. … Second baseman Luis Rengifo made a nice stop of a sharp grounder with the infield in, then he whirled and threw home for an out.

UP NEXT: Angels (LHP Tyler Skaggs) vs. Rangers (LHP Drew Smyly), Thursday, noon PT, Tempe Diablo Stadium

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