When Angels closer Kenley Jansen induced a groundout from J.P. Crawford to end Friday night’s contest, he made sure to keep the ball.
In the Angels’ clubhouse after a 5-4 win over the Seattle Mariners, Jansen handed the ball to Kyle Hendricks. It was Hendricks’ to keep after he earned his 100th career victory.
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Hendricks didn’t pitch his best game. The right-hander gave up eight hits and four earned runs along with two strikeouts and two walks over six innings. Still, his milestone capped one of the Angels’ better wins — an all-around team effort spearheaded by veteran players.
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“I hate it being about me, so I appreciated keeping [the postgame celebration] short,” said Hendricks, who won 97 of his 100 games with the Chicago Cubs. [Manager Ron Washington] just said a couple words, and the guys pointed out Kenley keeping the last ball for me, handing it over. Just really cool and hugs all around.”
Clyde Wright, ninth on the Angels’ all-time wins list and Hendricks’ pitching coach during his teenage years in South Orange County, was at Angel Stadium on Friday. Wright, who ended his career with 100 wins, congratulated Hendricks in the clubhouse.
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“I told him, I only took 23 years after our first lesson — 12-year-old, first lesson — and now, finally tied him,” Hendricks said.
Hendricks said he has built a solid bond with battery mate Travis d’Arnaud in recent starts.
“Really catching a groove, really learned me, and it’s just making things so much easier for me,” Hendricks said of d’Arnaud. “So I can’t thank him enough.”
Being part of Hendricks’ 100th win was “very special” for d’Arnaud, who also caught Charlie Morton’s 100th win with Atlanta in 2021.
“I’m very thankful and grateful that I was a part of it, and not only to be a part of it behind the plate, but also to help contribute at the plate,” d’Arnaud said.
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Offensively, it was one of the newest Angels who helped lead them to victory.
Chris Taylor hadn’t done much at the plate since the Angels signed him nearly two weeks ago. Friday night at Angel Stadium, the former Dodgers utilityman put together his best game for the Angels so far — going two for three with a tying RBI double in his first multi-hit performance of the season (his first in the regular season since Sept. 28).
“That’s obviously the best game I’ve had in a minute,” Taylor said. “Just to hit the ball hard and drive in a run — do some things to help a team win, felt good.”
Angels second baseman Chris Taylor throws to first base after forcing out a Mariners runner at second in the first inning Friday. (Eric Thayer / Associated Press)
Taylor also scored the decisive run in the fifth inning on a single from Nolan Schanuel. Even Taylor’s one out was loud. In the bottom of the sixth, Seattle center fielder Julio Rodríguez robbed Taylor of a two-run home run to dead center field.
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In his first plate appearance in the third, Taylor scored on a single from Zach Neto to tie the score 1-1. After the Mariners retook the lead in the fourth, d’Arnaud tied the game again with a two-run home run in the bottom of the inning.
The Angels put together one of their better performances at the plate. They combined for seven hits and struck out just seven times. With their third win in four games, the Angels (29-33) are three games back of second-place Seattle (32-30) and 5½ games behind AL West-leading Houston (35-28).
Read more: Shaikin: Dodgers have lots of stars. Why Zach Neto should be Angels’ lone All-Star
Ryan Zeferjahn and Reid Detmers pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth, respectively, and Jansen tossed a scoreless ninth for his 13th save. Detmers hasn’t given up a run — across eight appearances — since May 17.
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For Washington, Hendricks getting his 100th win was the cherry on top of a win over a division rival.
“I talk about two things, presence and performance,” Washington said. “[Hendricks’] presence is always around. And when he’s performing, you see him giving everything he has. Well deserved.”
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
