In a preview of what may be a potential World Series matchup, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim wrapped up perhaps the most anticipated Freeway Series in years with the Boys in Blue taking the series against the Halos three games to one. Pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu anchored the final game with a dominating start, shutting out the Angels for seven innings and giving up only two hits and walking one batter.
The lopsided 7-0 victory for the Dodgers bookended the four game set in which Game 1 easily went to the Angels, 5-0, while Games 2 and 3 were both nail-biting, one-run affairs that went to the Dodgers. Angels catcher Hank Conger sat out Thursday’s game after starting Games 1 and 3, and he watched from the bench as Ryu sliced and diced his way through the Halos lineup.
“Going into the series, I think the biggest thing that stood out for [the Dodgers] is their pitching staff,” Conger told KoreAm. “We knew that they had good pitching, we knew it was going to be a battle each game. They put up a fight, and we weren’t able to get the bats going.”
Conger didn’t get to face Ryu Thursday night–manager Mike Scioscia prefers to start him against right-handed pitchers–but he’s no stranger to seeing Ryu pitch well against his team. In his last start against the Angels in 2013, Ryu pitched a complete game shutout, striking out seven and giving up only two hits in a 3-0 Dodger win.
“He’s definitely stifled us a couple of times,” Conger said. “He really just manages all his pitches. He has a lot of good pitches–a really good changeup, curveball, he’s very deceptive out of the windup and stretch. He does a really good job of controlling counts and putting away hitters.”
Hyun-Jin Ryu pitches against the Angels. Image via OC Register
Ryu had a no-hitter going into the fifth inning, until David Freese ripped a one-out double off the right field wall. The Angels failed to capitalize, as Ryu induced a groundout and a strikeout to end the threat.
Yasiel Puig made the play of the night in the bottom of the sixth to help preserve Ryu’s shutout. With Mike Trout on third and Albert Pujols on second with two outs, Puig made a leaping catch at the left-centerfield wall to rob Josh Hamilton of extra bases, preventing any runs from scoring.
On the other side of the card, Angels starting pitcher C.J. Wilson took the mound in his second start since coming off the disabled list. Coming into Thursday, the left-hander was coming off a disturbing trend for the Angels: 25 earned runs in his last five starts, and 37 hits in 18 innings.
Wilson kept the Dodger bats quiet through the first two innings, getting a clutch double play in the second, but Hanley Ramirez lined a one-out, bases loaded single to center field to begin the scoring. Adrian Gonzalez followed up with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.
While Ryu maintained his pace, Wilson was able to roll along until the sixth inning, when Juan Uribe ripped a double to center field, scoring Matt Kemp. Wilson then walked opposing catcher A.J. Ellis, and his night was done.
“Even though [Wilson] gave up four runs today, I thought from previous outings he made a big adjustment as far as commanding the strike zone,” Conger said. “But as a catcher, you really just try to calm him down, slow things down as things progress. [You] just really try to have him focus on the pitch rather than things that are happening overall.”
It’s a role and skill Conger has been able to hone during his major league career, securing him in an effective platoon role along with fellow catcher Chris Ianetta. When your manager was a multiple All-Star catcher, the standard is set quite high. Conger’s weak defensive skills nearly cost him his job in 2012, but he’s come a long way in patching up those shortcomings.
In particular, one aspect was building a solid rapport with Angel pitchers. The relationship between the pitcher and catcher is a symbiotic one.
Angels pitcher Garrett Richards and Hank Conger hold a discussion on the mound in Monday’s game against the Dodgers. Image via Los Angeles Times
“I know it sounds cliché, but it really is true that working with the pitchers, talking to them, making sure they feel comfortable every time they step on the mound is really the focal point for me,” Conger explained. “Whether the pitch is executed or whatever happens during the game … as a catcher, you really have to make sure your pitcher is comfortable on the mound, at ease when you’re calling pitches or knowing that you can block a baseball.”
While the Dodgers look to continue their hot play against the Milwaukee Brewers tonight, the Angels will host the Boston Red Sox for the weekend. It’s an important series, as the Angels haven’t lost three consecutive games since losing four in a row in early June.
“It’s been rare for us to lose a series,” Conger said. “We’ve been playing great baseball, we just have to refresh things. … It starts with our preparation, slowing it down and finding our scouting reports and starting from there.”
