The Angels had no business winning this game.   Down 3-0 before the seats were warm, and down 5-3 heading into the 9th both serve as example enough.  Problem is though, someone forot to tell the Halos.  Before the night was over, the Angels would have earned their 6th victory in a row, and their 31st comeback win of the year, stunning Joe Nathan and the Twins.

The Twins, who got beat around like a bad little league team during their last series against Oakland, looked more like the Twins of old in game one of this four game series Thursday night in Anaheim.  Jerrod Weaver managed to recover from allowing 3 runs in the first, finishing with 7 gutsy innings, and putting the club in position to have a chance down the stretch.  Two of those three runs in the first, came courtesy of Angel killer Jason Kubel, who hit his 17th home run of the season, a two run shot deep into the right field seats.  The Angels were held in check by Twins starter Scott Baker for the first four innings, although the Halos returned the favor, putting Baker through a marathon 30+ pitches in the fifth which would end up being his last, as the Angels scored twice, cutting the lead to 3-2.  Each team tallied single runs in the 6th, and that’s the way the game stayed until the ninth.  The Angels bullpen, which had been nearly perfect on the road trip, allowed a run to the twins, courtesy of Kevin Jepson.

And then the mighty Joe Nathan trotted in from the bullpen to slam the door shut.  The Angels however, pushed back, and how fitting, that Gary Matthews Jr and Howie Kendrick provided both two out RBI singles to tie the game.  These two Halos in particular have had their fair share of struggles this year, on the field and in the press, even in this blog.  Brian Fuentes held the Twins at bay in the tenth, and then the Angel offense leapt at their chance to finish things off the good old walk-off way.

Chone Figgins started the 10th off with his 3rd hit of the game, and was promptly sacrificed over by Brandon Wood.  Bobby Abrue was then immediately given a free pass via the intentional walk, and Kendre Morales, who saw his 20 game hitting streak snapped, made the 2nd out of the inning.  Up stepped Mike Napoli, who has a knack of providing the big hit of late, as his two run home run in Kansas City in yesterday’s game knotted things late.  He didn’t disappoint this time either.  Napoli drove a ball deep into the right center field gap, scoring Figgins and thus began a celebration on the field of Napoli trying to dodge the onslaught of Angel players chasing him down, only to be caught on the infield grass and dog-piled by the team, as the Angel fans went wild. 

Angel fans, this game was a better test of the club than any of the games just completed on this 7 game road trip that saw the Angels go 6-1.  Reason being, is that the Twins have for the most part, a solid team.  The “Killer J’s” (Jason Kubel, Justin Morneau, Joe Mauer, Joe Nathan) are all premier players in the league, and the fact that the Angels were able to come back against a closer such as Nathan, speaks volumes.  It’s also very apparent that the patience that Bobby Abreu exhibits in every single at bat, is spreading to the rest of the team.

Game 2 of the series Friday, will see once promising starter Francisco Liriano face off against John Lackey.  With the Rangers off on Thursday, the Angels now enjoy a 3.5 game lead in the AL West.  On a day when Mark Buehrle of the White Sox threw a perfect game, the Angels also had a little magic up their sleeve.

Until next time Angel fans.