MIAMI — The first time Patrick Sandoval took the mound, everything went wrong for the Angels.
The second time, everything went right.
The Angels beat the Miami Marlins 10-2 on Wednesday afternoon, an impressive full-team effort that ran their winning streak to four games.
The Angels bear little resemblance to the team that played Opening Day, when Sandoval was knocked out in the second inning of a game the Angels lost by eight runs.
In the second game the Angels lost by nine runs. Manager Ron Washington then held a team meeting to make sure the players remained upbeat, and they’ve won every game since.
It was night and day for Sandoval, in particular.
Sandoval’s first career Opening Day start ended with him allowing five runs and getting only five outs, including a first inning when he walked two of the game’s first three hitters.
This time, Sandoval came out of the gate pounding the strike zone. He struck out all three hitters in the first inning, with 10 strikes in 14 pitches.
Sandoval had some trouble in the third inning, when he gave up two runs on three hits and a hit batter, but otherwise he cruised through the Marlins lineup.
Sandoval threw a first-pitch strike to 17 of the 23 hitters he faced, and 65 strikes overall in 93 pitches.
His outing ended an out short of six innings. With two outs in the fifth, he gave up a bloop single and a walk, ending his day.
Sandoval had the luxury of a lead before he threw his first pitch. The Angels scored two runs in the top of the first, and they kept adding on throughout the game, spraying hits all over the field, drawing walks, moving runners and taking advantage of mistakes.
The Angels had 12 hits, including two Miguel Sanó doubles and Taylor Ward’s third homer, and they drew eight walks. They scored two runs on sacrifice flies, two on an error and one when Brandon Drury hustled to beat the back end of a double play.
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All nine players who started the game had at least one hit or walk. Sanó reached base four times, including two walks.
Nolan Schanuel, who entered the game after Luis Rengifo was pulled because of lightheadedness in the sixth inning, came to the plate three times and was hit by a pitch in his final plate appearance. That was enough to extend his streak. He’s now reached base safely in the first 35 games of his career, which is 12 games shy of the major-league record to begin a career.
More to come on this story.
