ANGELS WIN PITCHERS' DUEL UNDER A FULL MOON

Under a full moon, the Angels won their season opener tonight, defeating the Kansas City Royals 5-0, scoring all their runs in the eighth inning to break open what had been a brilliant pitchers’ duel between Jered Weaver and Bruce Chen.   Weaver struck out 10 in eight innings, and allowed only four hits, while Chen allowed three hits in six shutout innings before being relieved by losing pitcher Aaron Crow. 

The only threat by the Royals came in the top of the seventh inning, when Jeff Francoeur hit a double to left field.  That threat ended just as quickly moments later when Weaver picked off Francoeur with a throw to second baseman Howie Kendrick.

With Crow pitching in the bottom of the eighth, Kendrys Morales, Mark Trumbo and Chris Iannetta hit successive singles off Crow to load the bases.  The Royals brought Greg Holland in to pitch, and Peter Bourjos promptly drove in the first run of the game with yet another single.  Erick Aybar cleared the bases with a triple down the right field line, and Torii Hunter drove in Aybar for the Angels’ final run.

It was a fast-paced game lasting only two hours and 22 minutes, an auspicious opener for the Angeles.  Before the game, a giant American flag was unfurled and a Stealth fighter flyover accompanied the signing of the National Anthem.  The game was followed by the traditional Friday night fireworks show, climaxing to the strains of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

For a baseball fan, the opening game is a rite of spring, an occasion for hope and new beginnings, and it was a thrill to be on hand for it.  It seems a fitting occasion to inaugurate this blog.  In the next few months, I’ll be sharing my observations on a number of topics, but plan to focus primarily on baseball and train travel.  Indeed, I am working on a plan to follow the Angels on the road via Amtrak.  This won’t be a typical baseball blog, so don’t look for sabermetric analysis here.  Expect subjective commentary about this fan’s experience.  I invite you to come along for the ride, and to comment on what you read here.