ANAHEIM, CA — I am a bit miffed that not everyone on the Angels and Astros today was wearing number 21 on Roberto Clemente Day in baseball. Not wearing #21 is so disrespectful. What is the reason? Is it superstition about not wearing their usual number? Do they have endorsements tied to wearing their number? Or have they not learned who Roberto Clemente was and what he did not only for baseball but also for people in need worldwide? Shame on them.
Astros starter Ronel Blanco, hailing from Santiago, Dominican Republic, showcased his prowess by breezing through the Angel lineup for six innings. He entered today’s game as the top-ranked player in opponent’s batting average at .190. Blanco’s strength lies in getting outs, not necessarily striking batters out, and he does it with ease. His approach to the game as a true pitcher, not just a thrower, is what sets him apart and makes him one of the top pitchers in baseball today.
Ronel Blanco, Dirty 81mph Curveball. šØ pic.twitter.com/pUH0tahlWR
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 15, 2024
Blanco is among the many Latinos on this Houston roster who have consistently brought pennants and World Series titles to Houston over the past ten decades. Blanco completed six innings with a line of four hits, no runs, two walks, and five strikeouts. He threw 92 pitches, 58 for strikes.
The Angels finally got on the board in the eighth inning with a 420-foot solo home run to center field by Taylor Ward off of reliever Kaleb Ort and then rallied in the ninth inning for three runs. But the damage was already done in the top of the fourth inning when the Astros scored four runs. It was just too much for the Angels to overcome in Houston’s 6-4 win.
California Dreamin'#Relentless x @MethodistHosp pic.twitter.com/NPzHDVIOyn
— Houston Astros (@astros) September 15, 2024
Just a wild guess, but I would imagine that the 41,005 Angels fans in attendance on this beautiful day in southern California today have to be thinking, “Thank goodness the season is almost over!”
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