Washington Nationals vs Los Angeles Angels Box Score on Jul 19, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Jul 20, 2017

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- It was just about a year ago when the Los Angeles Angels made a trade for Alex Meyer, a 6-foot-9 power pitcher with loads of potential but just as many question marks.

A 97 mph fastball is only so good when a pitcher doesn't know where it's going.

The challenge for the Angels has been to find a way to get Meyer to manage his mechanics in a way that would allow him to command his pitches. When he has been able to do that, he has been good. And when he hasn't, not so much.

Meyer put it all together on Wednesday night against the Washington Nationals, pitching the best game of his career in the Angels' 7-0 victory.

Meyer (4-5) went seven innings for the first time in his career and allowed only one hit -- a two-out double by Brian Goodwin in the sixth inning. Meyer struck out seven and walked only one while keeping his pitch count to a reasonable 88, 52 of which were strikes.

Even more impressive was that he did it against the Nationals, the best hitting team in the National League, though they were playing without Bryce Harper, who got a day off for rest.

Meyer's potential is no secret to the rest of the league either. In a game last month, Meyer struck out New York Yankees star Aaron Judge twice, and after the game Judge was quick to compliment Meyer.

"I've seen him in the minor leagues," Judge said. "He's a great guy, electric stuff as well. A fastball with good two-seam action and a wipeout slider. A guy like that you have to focus on location or pick out a pitch and stick to it. He's good, really good."

Meyer, acquired last Aug. 1 from the Twins along with Ricky Nolasco in exchange for pitcher Hector Santiago, got help Wednesday from the Angels' offense, which put together a big night against Nationals starter Gio Gonzalez. Gonzalez (8-5), who is having a good season himself, gave up four runs, five hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings.

C.J. Cron had one of the hits off Gonzalez, a two-run homer in the sixth inning. Mike Trout hit a two-run homer, his 18th of the season coming in the seventh inning off reliever Joe Blanton.

Yunel Escobar and Cliff Pennington each had two hits for the Angels, who ended the Nationals' winning streak at six games.

David Hernandez (eighth inning) and Jose Alvarez (ninth) each threw a hitless inning in relief of Meyer to complete the one-hit shutout.

The Angels took advantage of Gonzalez's early struggles with two runs in the first inning.

After a leadoff single by Escobar and a walk by Trout, Albert Pujols singled to drive in Escobar and give Los Angeles a 1-0 lead. One out later, Andrelton Simmons drove home Trout with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0.

It was the first time the Angels had scored multiple runs in the first inning in more than a month (June 18 vs. Kansas City).

While Gonzalez seemed to settle in after the first inning, Meyer was locked in from the start. The 6-foot-9 right-hander retired the first 14 batters before walking Anthony Rendon on four pitches with two outs in the fifth.

Meyer, though, retired the next hitter and maintained a no-hitter through five innings.

The closest the Nationals came to getting a hit came in the first inning when Daniel Murphy hit a line drive down the right-field line. But Shane Robinson, starting in place of regular right fielder Kole Calhoun, made a diving catch.

NOTES: Nationals RF Bryce Harper was not in the starting lineup, getting a day off for rest. Manager Dusty Baker wanted to give his position players who were on the All-Star team a day off in the first series after the break, and 1B Ryan Zimmerman and 2B Daniel Murphy each got a day off when the club opened the second half in Cincinnati. Harper, though, asked that the day off come when the club was in Anaheim so he could spend time with family, which traveled from Harper's hometown of Las Vegas to visit him. OF Chris Heisey started in right field in Harper's place. ... Angels OF Cameron Maybin was placed on the 10-disabled list because of a sprained ligament in his right knee. Maybin, who injured the knee sliding into second base on a steal attempt in the first inning Tuesday, is expected to miss 2-4 weeks. The Angels called up OF Shane Robinson from Triple-A Salt Lake to take Maybin's spot in the roster.