The Los Angeles Angels have maintained a level of consistency in one particular area that is unmatched in the majors this season.
Right-hander Jose Soriano (3-4, 3.57 ERA) will get the nod on the mound for Los Angeles as it continues its three-game series versus the Miami Marlins on Saturday night in Anaheim, Calif. Soriano is one of the Angels’ five starters who have made every scheduled assignment this season. They are the only team in the majors that have not used more than five.
“I think they have performed well,” Los Angeles manager Ron Washington said. “We’ve certainly been getting innings out of them. Now we’re starting to get them into the sixth and seventh inning, and it’s been taking a lot of pressure off the bullpen.”
Going into Friday’s 7-4 win over the Marlins, the Angels’ eighth victory in a row, the team’s starters ranked 15th in the majors in innings pitched (268). The starters’ cumulative ERA, though, was 4.16, which ranked 21st of 30 major league teams.
Washington is hoping the starters can stretch it out a little more and pitch deeper into games.
“When you can get at least six innings, or when you can get 6 2/3 or seven innings, oh it’s like a dream night,” he said.
Soriano ranks second on the Angels’ staff with 58 innings pitched behind Yusei Kikuchi (59 2/3). He has pitched into the sixth inning or deeper in seven of his 10 starts this season.
Soriano, who has never faced the Marlins, is coming off a victory in his most recent start last Monday against the Athletics when he allowed three runs in six innings of a 4-3 win.
Right-hander Cal Quantrill (3-4, 6.37 ERA) will make his 10th start of the season for Miami. He’s coming off one of his best starts of the season, when he allowed one run and two hits in five innings of a 5-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.
In that game, Quantrill achieved something no other major league pitcher has done this season and only one other Marlins pitcher had done in the history of the franchise. He threw an “immaculate” inning, which is retiring all three hitters by strikeout on nine consecutive strikes.
The only other Marlin to achieve an immaculate inning was Jesus Sanchez, who accomplished the feat on Sept. 13, 1998, against the Atlanta Braves.
The inning reflects Quantrill’s recent improvement after a slow start this season. In his past three games, he’s allowed five runs and 10 hits in 14 1/3 innings
“It goes back to Seattle a few starts ago,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. “I think he just kind of made a decision on just being more aggressive and be more on the attack, utilize his fastball, and his cutter plays well off of that, and he’s got the split behind it. Just more aggressive in the times when Cal has been at his best.”
Quantrill is 1-1 with a 3.68 ERA in seven career games (six starts) against the Angels.
–Field Level Media
