--The Angels hit an American League-low 44 home runs through their first 57 games but have hit 13 in their last four games -- nine in the weekend sweep of the Padres and four Monday in San Francisco. Monday's home runs included one by Juan Rivera (his third in the last two games) and Sean Rodriguez (who led the PCL with 21 home runs when he was promoted over the weekend).

--RHP Matt Palmer ran his record to 6-0 with a victory in his most recent start Friday. Only one player in franchise history has started his Angels career with a longer unbeaten streak (Jered Weaver was 9-0 in 2006). According to Elias, Palmer is the first rookie in major league history over the age of 30 to start a season with six consecutive wins (all as a starter).

--The Angels five home runs in Saturday's victory over the Padres were their most in a game since they hit seven on June 4, 2003, during a series against the Montreal Expos in Puerto Rico. Torii Hunter's first three-homer game of his career Saturday was the first by an Angel since Garret Anderson hit three in that same Puerto Rico game.

BY THE NUMBERS
425 -- Innings pitched by RHP Scot Shields between 2004 and 2008, the most of any major league reliever.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"I wanted to keep playing but the pain didn't go away at all." -- RHP Scot Shields on deciding to undergo season-ending knee surgery.

Copyright (C) 2009 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.