OC Register: Dylan Bundy and Mike Trout lead Angels to victory

[AngelsWin.com]

Although so much has gone wrong for the Angels this season, their 6-2 victory over the Texas Rangers on Thursday in Arlington was a showcase for what’s gone right.

Dylan Bundy, undoubtedly the most pleasant surprise on the roster, pitched 7 1/3 mostly dominant innings.

After nine starts, Bundy has a 2.48 ERA, which is second in the American League to Cy Young front-runner Shane Bieber’s 1.25 ERA for the Cleveland Indians.

While no one expected Bundy to be one of the best pitchers in the league, Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon have lived up to expectations.

Trout belted his major league-leading 16th homer, as he inches closer to leading the majors in homers for the first time in his career, although this season would obviously merit an asterisk. Trout also has a 1.057 OPS.

Rendon had two more hits and a walk to raise his league-leading on-base percentage to .439. His OPS is .976.

The Angels also got nice performances out of Jared Walsh and Taylor Ward. Walsh hit a first-inning three-run homer and a triple and Ward had three hits.

It all added up to a victory that helped the Angels maintain faint hopes at a playoff spot. Although the Angels are only 18-27, they are just four games behind the cratering Houston Astros for second place in the American League West. The Angels are also two games behind the Seattle Mariners.

The Angels have 15 games left and, regardless of how those games go, can at least take some solace in uncovering a quality starter in Bundy this season.

Thanks largely to increasing use of his off speed pitchers, Bundy has enjoyed a breakout season at age 27.

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On Thursday, he gave up a first-inning leadoff triple to Leody Tavarez, who scored on a groundout, and that was it.

Bundy retired 21 of the next 23 hitters. He finished with 12 strikeouts and one walk.

Mike Mayers got the final two outs of the eighth, stranding a runner at third. Ty Buttrey pitched the ninth to secure the victory.

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