Final

Weaver goes 6 to help Angels to 8-3 win over Twins

Series at a Glance

  1. Game 1: Final
    LA Angels8
    @ Minnesota3
    Final
  2. Game 2: Final
    LA Angels0
    @ Minnesota5
    Final
  3. Game 3: Final
    LA Angels6
    @ Minnesota2
    Final

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) It didn't take long for Jered Weaver to know that Johnny Vander Meer's record for consecutive no-hitters was in little danger.

Maybe a little drained after throwing his first career no-hitter in his previous start, the Los Angeles Angels ace found out quickly how impressive the feat that Vander Meer pulled off in 1938 really is.

Weaver allowed three hits over six exhausting innings to lead the Angels to an 8-3 victory on Monday night.

Weaver (5-0) gave up one run with two walks and two strikeouts and Alberto Callaspo had a homer and three RBIs for the Angels, who have won six of eight as they try to climb out of the cellar in the AL West.

''To have it happen once is pretty special,'' Weaver said. ''But to do it twice in a row, I don't see it happening ever again.''

Cincinnati's Vander Meer no-hit the Boston Bees and the Brooklyn Dodgers on consecutive starts in 1938. No pitcher has done it since.

Weaver threw 121 pitches in his start against the Twins last week, and didn't have much left when he took the mound on Monday night.

''I just felt gassed there a little bit,'' Weaver said. ''Obviously I'm one to kind push through stuff and ask to go one more, but I don't know if it was mentally draining or physically draining. I don't know what it was but I just felt a little gassed out there towards the end of the game.''

Erik Komatsu had two of the Twins' three hits against Weaver, but the Twins didn't have much more success against Weaver than they did on Wednesday.

Francisco Liriano (0-5) gave up four runs on five hits in five innings with three walks and four strikeouts for the Twins.

Albert Pujols went 1 for 5 with two RBIs a day after homering for the first time this season. He's hitting .197 after signing a $240 million contract.

Weaver was relaxed in the clubhouse before the game, the picture of California cool.

With his dirty blonde hair flowing, Weaver rocked back in his chair and joked with Dan Haren and Ervin Santana before trying to become just the second pitcher in big league history to throw consecutive no-hitters.

Against the ghastly Twins lineup that was missing sluggers Josh Willingham (illness) and Justin Morneau (wrist), anything was possible. They entered the game with just 14 hits and five runs total in their previous five games.

The last pitcher to face the same team he no-hit in his next start was Derek Lowe in 2002, and the lanky right-hander breezed through the first two innings in 20 pitches Monday night. But he walked Trevor Plouffe to start the third inning and lost a 10-pitch battle to Komatsu, who singled to center field to break up the bid for history.

''He was fouling off a lot of pitches and got me deep into the count, but obviously didn't want to walk him at all,'' Weaver said. ''And he was able to put good wood on the ball and kind of skinned my butt there. Came up hot. Luckily I don't have much back there to work with.''

Weaver's pitch count steadily rose after the first three innings, but he held the Twins to one run on a fielder's choice by Denard Span after loading the bases with no outs in the fifth. The run ended Weaver's scoreless streak at 21 innings, but that was the only down spot for him on Monday night.

He left with a 4-1 lead, thanks to an RBI groundout from Pujols in the first, a two-run homer from Callaspo in the third and a sacrifice fly from Peter Bourjos in the fourth.

''Even though his pitch count wasn't high, he just didn't seem like he was in sync for most of the night,'' Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. ''I just think it shows what a terrific pitcher he is that he can get through six innings with really not the stuff you would expect.''

The Twins scored two in the eighth against the Angels' shaky bullpen, but Los Angeles tacked on three insurance runs, thanks in part to an error by Komatsu in left field that allowed two runs to score, in the ninth to put the game away.

NOTES: Twins SS Brian Dozier made his MLB debut, going 1 for 4 with a single. ... The Angels placed RHP LaTroy Hawkins on the 15-day DL with a broken pinkie finger on his right hand. LHP Scott Downs also was out with a bruised left knee. Scioscia said he would go with a closer-by-committee approach until Downs, who is day to day, is ready. .... Twins OF Clete Thomas cleared waivers and will report to Triple-A Rochester. ... LHP Scott Diamond, who was called up from Triple-A Rochester on Sunday to replace struggling Liam Hendriks, will make his season debut on Tuesday against RHP Haren (1-2, 3.43) for the Angels.

Next Opponent

Minnesota vs. Team Logo (cropped)Detroit
Thu, May 17, 2012 1:05 PM EDT
Chi White Sox vs. Team Logo (cropped)LA Angels
Thu, May 17, 2012 3:35 PM EDT

Team Comparison

TeamRecordDivision/PlaceAway/HomeStreakL10
Minnesota11-265th AL Central6-14 HomeW 14-6
LA Angels17-213rd AL West6-12 AwayW 26-4

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    27 comments

    • California Kid  •  9 days ago
      What happened to The Twins?
      • elemental1 9 days ago
        They were the worst team in the AL last season too. They're just picking up where they left off.
      • A Stranger in Town 9 days ago
        Glad you recognize that..
      • Johann 8 days ago
        What has happened to the Twins is that they have stopped caring. This team plays with no heart, and that's bad.
    • Victim of the Economy  •  9 days ago
      This season is a wash, the things we need cant be taught, you have to have it or you don't we have way to many players the Twins worked through their farm system on a wing and a prayer. The owners sit and laugh at these comments because they don't care and they insult us by pretending they do and filling us with false promises of better days and players ahead. All empty promises and I guess the only way for them to take notice is to stop filling the seats at the games. Why pay professional pricing to get high school quality baseball. So the best plan is to stop going to the games and supporting them. Make them feel the pinch for awhile, Im sorry for all of those seasoin ticket holders who were promised a quality team and got the sloppy seconds. Whats sad is a once prominant team has been dismantled, poorly ran and diminished to rubble.
    • John  •  9 days ago
      All it would take is Itzuris getting some consistent AB's and he's a .300 hitter easy. Just been bitten by the injury bug so much. But ride his hot hand at SS for a while until Aybar is done thinking about his long term deal! And Scoscia, establish a set OF. Trumbo, with his cannon of a arm, in RF. Wells in CF. Tori in RF. Trout to minors for more consistent AB's and Bourgous off the bench. Trumbo needs a set position and full time AB's. This guy is for real! And Morales to hit lefties, as well as righties. He is finding his 2010 stroke!
    • American  •  Torrance, California  •  8 days ago
      7 wins in 28 games?! Is this the way it's going to be all year, guys?!
    • GrimReaper  •  Englewood, Colorado  •  8 days ago
      Small ball as finally caught up with the Twins.
    • Cards Fan  •  South Bend, Indiana  •  8 days ago
      I sure wish we still had Albert. We only hit 5 home runs last night.
    • Bartender, another Martin ...  •  9 days ago
      I wonder if Morneau will play fewer games this year than last year.
    • Sash  •  9 days ago
      Albert Pujols has as many HRs as Drew Pomeranz.

      Pomeranz is a pitcher.
      • John 9 days ago
        One less than Chone Figgins. Figgins is a bench warmer.
      • Lompoc 8 days ago
        And one more than both of you clowns.
      • Forest 8 days ago
        You would think for a 10-yr $240MM contract he could hit at least one more homer than me.
    • Thetruthhurts  •  St Louis, Missouri  •  9 days ago
      Albert creeping up on that .200, watch out now.
      • John 9 days ago
        He he continues to go 1 for 5, he'll never get there.
      • Lompoc 8 days ago
        How those Blues doing for you?
      • Mike 8 days ago
        The Blues are starting out and still a very young team that will only get better. You could compare them to the Kings of 3 years ago. Albert unfortunatley was great, is now PROBABLY going to be very good, and in the 2-3 year is going to fade into average, and for the remaining 6-7 years will be horrible. I will take the current position of the Blues over the current Albert any day. Their future looks way more promising.
    • Bartender, another Martin ...  •  9 days ago
      It is conceivable that the Twins could set a major league team record - most games lost in a single season.
      • AKBear 9 days ago
        GM Ryan had a fire sale...there is nothing left! I think the Twins triple A team could do better!
      • Paul 9 days ago
        oh shut your pie hole AKBear! You are an idiot!!!!
      • NathanH 9 days ago
        it would actually be nice to see the twins win a game this season!!!
    • .8734  •  Atlanta, Georgia  •  9 days ago
      Twins have a shot a 120 losses. They are the worst team I've seen the last forty years
      • Lance B 8 days ago
        You already have forgotten the 2003 Tigers? They were 3-25 through 28 games and if not for winning five of their last six games, they would have had 120+ losses. This Twins team is awful, but they are not even comparable to the 03 Detroit Tigers.
      • J.J. 8 days ago
        The worst team???? Have you not seen the Cubs play in the last forty years?
      • NOTAYANKEEFAN 8 days ago
        They love to lose.
    • Johann  •  Brenham, Texas  •  8 days ago
      I love my Twins - been a fan of the team since the Senators moved to Minneapolis - and it hurts to see them playing so badly. Hate to say it, but Gardenhire may need to be removed; he's a smart baseball man, a good manager, but I think he's unable to inspire the team anymore. But the main concern is the lack of confidence that the Twins starting pitchers have, so here's a suggestion to shake up the starters: Send the following four down to AAA and bring up replacements, telling these players "Get your confidence back. Show us what you're made of and what you CAN do on the mound": Blackburn (0-4 record; 6.84 ERA), Liriano (0-5; 9.45), Swarzak (0-3; 5.79), and Hendricks (0-2; 9.00). Don't let any of them return until they achieve positive numbers. If it takes a month, so be it. This season is a wash, so use the time wisely and get these pitchers back on track.
    • Bright Bart's Ghost  •  8 days ago
      Whew... Pujols finally has more RBI on the season than Carlos Beltran had in 3 innings last week!
    • Young guns  •  8 days ago
      Joe Mauer is the worst money ever spent in Minnesota. He should be ashamed of himself. He is not even a leader!
    • e-z livin  •  Tampa, Florida  •  8 days ago
      they have found too many ways to lose a game. they are very good at it.
    • robert a  •  9 days ago
      More idiocy about how "easy" it is to no-no the Twins. Get real. It did not happen this time, and it is not going to happen again. The team does not have stars who are playing, but it has major league ballplayers, and they are in the games that they play until they reach the point where they do not have enough.
    • Dan  •  Bismarck, North Dakota  •  8 days ago
      Has anybody been fired yet?
    • Go Cards  •  8 days ago
      Just think where the Halo's would be if they hadn't played twins 7 game already !!!
    • BruceS  •  Rochester, Minnesota  •  8 days ago
      It's really sad what has happened to the Twins. Minnesota has always had a solid fan base and supportive fans.... But the last two years are really going to test us.... C'Mon Twins!!!!
    • Dan  •  Guangzhou, China  •  9 days ago
      I think it's coming down to the point where any major league records made against the Twins should be recorded with an asterisk. Recording a no-hitter against them is no feat anymore. You'd have a tougher time doing it against a high school team.