D DD SPORTS S UNDAY, JULY 28, 2019 :: L ATIMES.COM/SPORTS Orioles are not looking so lowly in series

They get to Peters and Buttrey to beat the Angels for the third game in a row.

BALTIMORE 8 ANGELS 7

By Maria Torres

Ty Buttrey is depend- able, a 6-foot-6 titan who can hurl 99-mph heaters and strike out more than one- quarter of the batters he faces. The Angels rookie re- liever gets the ball in tied scores or when the team has a small deficit. But the 26-year-old also has made 48 appearances, Photographs by Wally Skalij Los Angeles Times tied for second-most on the JON LEONOUDAKIS pitches to Stephen Dolainski, a friend of an Alzheimer’s patient, during a meeting in Los Angeles held by team. And in the Angels’ 8-7 BasebALZ, a group that uses baseball to help stir the memories of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. loss to the on Saturday at Angel Sta- dium, he could not replicate his success. He failed to pre- serve an eighth-inning tie. The Angels mounted a late rally but could not overcome Buttrey’s performance as Living in the pastime they dropped their third game in a row to a team on pace for more than 100 losses. Buttrey gave up a leadoff For people suffering from Alzheimer’s, baseball brings back memories hit to Jonathan Villar, plunked Stevie Wilkerson in the thigh to end a long at- BILL PLASCHKE him. bat, watched both runners “There was this St. Louis advance on a dribbler to the It starts with a , I would stay up late to mound and gave up a hard- baseball. watch him on TV,” she says with a hit single up the middle. The Each person who grin. “He put his cap low; it was hit drove in two runs and attends the monthly scary for hitters. They’re looking knocked Buttrey out of the BasebALZ program for his eyes, they’d let a pitch go game before he could record in a conference room by.” a second out. at the offices of Jon Leonoudakis, the meeting “The stuff looks the Alzheimer’s Los facilitator dressed in a gold vin- same,” manager Brad Aus- Angeles is handed tage jersey and mus said. “Most players — one, faded and cap, jumps in. and hitters — will scuffed. “Oh, you’re talking about Bob have an occasional bad For the next two hours, those Gibson,” he says, pausing, then month or not an up-to-par suffering from Alzheimer’s disease raising his voice in wonder. “And month. I’m not concerned.” or other forms of dementia will did you know he wore glasses?” Buttrey (6-5) gave up two hold that baseball. The room instantly buzzes with runs in the eighth inning Some will clutch it tightly as oohs and aahs and lights in eyes [See Angels, D7] they listen to stories about former that have been growing dim. Base- baseball greats. Others will roll it ball has done it again. Baseball has around in their palms as they wrapped its arms around unset- watch presentations about base- tled souls and taken them out to ball’s historic moments. At some the ballgame. point, they will be asked to reach “Watching what happens here back into their own baseball his- is like watching people come to tory. life,” says Anne Oh, manager of Through the magic of those 108 support groups and activity pro- stitches, they will remember. grams for ALZLA. “My friends and I lived near Even in a summer when the each other, we’d play together,” Al major leagues’ best team plays at Hassan, 82, says with a grin. “I Dodger Stadium and its best wasn’t very good, I played way out player plays at Angel Stadium, in the field. There was a little creek nowhere is the power of baseball in they put me near in case I had to Los Angeles better illustrated jump in the water. It happened than on the fourth floor of this John McCoy Getty Images three or four times. I think they mid-Wilshire office building. MIKE TROUT tied the were agitating me!” Led by members of the Los score 2-2 with a two-run It’s a bright Friday morning, Angeles chapter of the Society for in the first and Hassan laughs, and across the LEONOUDAKIS and the Society for American Baseball Re- American Baseball Research, a inning against Baltimore. table, Dolores Jones, 89, soon joins search brought the program to L.A. after hearing of its success. [See Plaschke, D7] Influence his rising uncle had on star in romp him is indelible over Nationals

torso that read in identical continued posting Buehler’s tattoo is a script, “Always do your best In his first game since inadequate offensive pro- U Pig.” duction. It was simply a mat- message he received “I didn’t want my kids to return, Dodgers’ ter of time before Smith re- early, from a relative get any tattoos. I don’t have Smith has six RBIs to turned. any tattoos,” said Tony The Dodgers finally who died young. Buehler, Walker’s father. support Kershaw. made the move Thursday to “But [when] I saw my kid got replace the struggling By Mia Berry that tattoo, I started crying.” DODGERS 9 , believing Tony Buehler said his WASHINGTON 3 Smith was ready to assume On the day he turned 17, brother gave Walker that the primary catching role af- By Jorge Castillo , accompa- baseball when he was 10 or 11. ter his sustained prolific pro- nied by his girlfriend and his “Before we had any idea duction in the Pacific Coast mother, went to the base- what Walker would be- WASHINGTON — For League. It would not take ment of a family friend’s come,” Tony said. more than a month, between much to provide an upgrade. house in Lexington, Ky. What Buehler has be- the time he was sent back to Barnes was one of the worst Buehler gave a tattoo art- come is one of the best young the minors and called back offensive players in the ma- ist a baseball with his favor- pitchers in baseball. When up to the Dodgers on Friday, jors this season. Smith ite handwritten inscription he starts for the Dodgers on catching prospect Will carried potential and repre- on it, a note from his late un- Sunday, the day he turns 25, Smith loomed large in Los sented a boost. cle. he will take a 9-1 record and a Angeles. While he continued The rookie did not waste Thirty minutes later, 3.23 ERA into a matchup mashing triple-A pitching in any time. In his first game Buehler glanced in the mir- with the Washington Na- Jon SooHoo Oklahoma City, building a back Saturday, Smith went ror at his first and only tat- tionals. WALKER BUEHLER displays the tattoo he got at resume that was impossible three for three with an oppo- too on the left side of his [See Buehler, D5] age 17 that reads, “Always do your best U Pig.” to ignore, the Dodgers’ [See Dodgers, D5] LATIMES.COM/SPORTS SS SUNDAY, JULY 28, 2019 D7

BASEBALL

ANGELS REPORT Ramirez is about to come off the

use of an opener, the Angels By placing Ramirez on the By Maria Torres have used their relievers for injured list, the Angels were nearly 400 innings. That able to recall left-hander Dil- The end of JC Ramirez’s mark would still rank in the lon Peters for a start Sat- Tommy John surgery reha- top 10 in the major leagues. urday. … Nick Tropeano was bilitation is finally near. Adding Ramirez should optioned following his five- The Angels right-hander help alleviate the burden inning, seven-run perform- has only one outing remain- that has been shouldered by ance Friday. The Angels also ing, on Sunday at Class-A rookie , closer promoted Jose Rodriguez, a Inland Empire, before he is Hansel Robles and veteran right-hander from Venezue- reinstated from the 60-day Cam Bedrosian, all of whom la who signed with the An- injured list early in the week. have pitched more than 48 gels as a 17-year-old in 2012. He said Saturday at An- innings. He was a starter until this gel Stadium, where he has “It’s been a long process,” season, so he can pitch mul- spent parts of the last few Ramirez said. “Some days tiple innings out of the weeks between rehab out- you feel good, some other bullpen. Rodriguez has a ings, that he feels much days you don’t feel that 6.49 ERA in the hitter- closer to where he was before good. But being in this posi- friendly Pacific Coast his elbow was surgically re- tion right now, where I know League but has struck out 39 2 constructed in April 2018. everything is going well, and batters in 34 ⁄3 innings for It was only a month ago if I continue to feel good I’ll triple-A Salt Lake. … Left- that Ramirez was so far from be with the team, that’s a big handed starter Andrew his previous form — he went thing for me.” Heaney has thrown for three 11-10 with a 4.15 ERA in 27 consecutive days and not games for the Angels in 2017 Short hops felt any discomfort in his in- — the Angels asked him to Two days after falling so flamed shoulder. He is pro- extend his rehabilitation for Jayne Kamin-Oncea Getty Images ill he was told to stay home, gressing, he said, but “not an additional 30 days and JC RAMIREZ is scheduled to make a rehab start Sunday before coming off the reliever Noe Ramirez got quite where I wanted to be. … decided to use him as a re- injured list for the first time since having elbow surgery in April 2018. worse and was retroactively I’ve dealt with this kind of liever. placed on the injured list be- [stuff] a lot, so I know how it An alteration in mechan- immediately saw results. His “It was the same slider boon for the bullpen. The cause of a viral infection. He goes. I know not to get ex- ics helped Ramirez rebound. fastball velocity increased that I had before and I was Angels have relied so heavily will be eligible for reinstate- cited about good days. I He fell into bad habits dur- into the 92-94-mph range, really, really happy about it,” on their relievers, they have ment Aug. 3. The Angels know not to get down on bad ing the early stages of his closer to his previous 95.5- Ramirez said. “If tomorrow I put more innings on their don’t think he will spend the days. I know not to push too throwing program. He mph average in the major can continue to do that, be- bullpen than every team in whole week sick, but the lin- hard.” There is no timetable shortened his arm action, leagues, and the angle of his ing consistent throwing my their division except the Se- gering effects of a 16-inning for his return. He will need bringing his elbow up higher pitches improved. His slider, slider, I’d say I’m good to go.” attle Mariners. Even ac- game meant the team some time to regain arm as he released a pitch, and especially, received a boost. Ramirez’s return will be a counting for their consistent needed urgent bullpen help. strength before activation. Lowly Orioles keep soaring higher against the Angels

[Angels, from D1] eight hits in four innings. Thursday, the night the An- The outing could have gels lost to the Orioles in 16 doomed the team with a innings and put themselves bullpen so weary it made in a position to use spot three moves — calling up mi- starters in consecutive nor leaguer Jose Rodriguez, games. That time his stuff moving Noe Ramirez to the was flat, his pitches more injured list and recalling Pe- passive than usual. He pin- ters for a spot start — to pointed a few things on shore up their defenses. which to work. But Trevor Cahill They didn’t take. On Sat- pitched three effective in- urday, Buttrey hung his off- nings. He limited damage to speed offerings, mislocated Villar’s solo home run that his fastball and never got in a gave the Orioles a 6-5 lead in rhythm. His earned-run av- the sixth inning. erage soared above 3.00 for It still was not enough. Wally Skalij Los Angeles Times the first time. Buttrey gave up two runs in RICHARD MACHINSKI swings at a Wiffle Ball in an exercise to help stir the memories of patients with “I just absolutely sucked the eighth inning. Rodriguez Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. “It’s what we did when I was 8 years old,” he says. “It keeps you alive.” today,” said Buttrey, who flashed a 95-mph fastball 2 has given up seven runs and and threw 1 ⁄3 scoreless in- is being hit at a .361 clip in his nings. last eight innings. “It can’t The Angels scored a run happen again.” in the ninth inning on Mike Trout, Shohei Fletcher’s single to left field Baseball used as therapy Ohtani and hit but left three runners tying home runs Saturday. stranded when Justin Up- David Fletcher collected ton, who was 10 for 46 in 13 [Plaschke, from D1] Leonoudakis question. hollering at his neighbor- four hits in a game for the games before Saturday, group of as many seven ‘That swing is for “When you hold that hood buddies, “Let’s go play first time in his career. In a popped out. dementia patients and their baseball in your hands, some ball!” back-and-forth game, their On the heels of a heart- companion caregivers how hard it is to what does your heart and The group then moves to hits hardly mattered. ening two-game sweep of the participates in what is soul say?” he asks. a patio where Leonoudakis After Fletcher’s two-out Dodgers, the Angels tum- known as baseball reminis- do this, to be a Hassan says, “Watch me, pitches giant yellow and for a 4-2 lead in the bled further down the wild- cence therapy. I throw pretty good.” white Wiffle Balls to partici- second inning, the Angels card standings to five games In sessions designed to caretaker and Jones says, “I haven’t pants wielding a black Wiffle never again went ahead. out of second place a few elicit moments of clarity companion, to been to a baseball game in a bat. Dillon Peters, who days before the July 31 trade through a century-old con- long time. I wanted to come It is the first time some of seemed to have things fig- deadline. nection with the national live this every here to see what it was like.” them have swung a bat in ured out last weekend in Se- “You don’t ever want to pastime, participants talk Then Richard Mach- more than 50 years. Some attle, was rocked for five lose three in a row,” Ausmus ball, sing ball, and even play day. This gets the inski, 78, speaks for the first struggle with their coor- runs on a night the Angels said. “But with the trade a little ball. According to stress out.’ time. dination. They step into the extended their losing streak deadline coming up, [this their caretakers, it is the “It’s what we did when I box tentatively, and hold the to three games. He gave up stretch is] not ideal.” first time some of them have — Eva Machinski, was 8 years old,” he says. “It bat carefully. But once they engaged in weeks. after taking a cathartic swing of keeps you alive.” start, man, can they hit. From talk of Little a Wiffle bat with her husband Machinski is handed a Everybody makes contact, League to thoughts of auto- photo by his wife Eva. It was driving the ball off a brick graph chases, delving deep from when he coached a wall, into a giant plant, into poignant childhood grocery bag — they’re rem- youth league team in Brem- rattling shots around the memories, there is some- nants from his youth league erton, Wash., in the early metal furniture and even off thing about the ancient coaching days — he pulls ’70s. a patio umbrella. sport that rustles the mind. out a guitar and everyone There are two girls on the The companions also “Baseball is a game of stands up. boys’ team, an odd sight for take their hacks, and Eva storytelling; it’s the heart Because of the usual that era, and Machinski Machinski swings out of her and soul of the sport. Every- last-minute cancellations, suddenly remembers why. shoes. The program is de- one has baseball stories, and because the innovative “I said, ‘If they don’t play, signed not only to momen- everyone has baseball mem- program has been around we don’t play,’ ” he says. tarily lift the cloud from ories,” says Leonoudakis, 61, only a year and still is gain- As his health declined, those with Alzheimer’s a producer who brought the ing traction, there are only Machinski has increasingly disease, but also offer a brief program here after hearing three participants today. clung to his moments with respite for those who care about its success in the But, along with their care- this group. He constantly for them. Central/South Texas SABR givers, they sing the na- asks Eva about the date of “That swing is for how chapter. tional anthem like they are a the next session. One of his hard it is to do this, to be a “These people grew up group of 30,000. drawings from an art ther- caretaker and companion, during the game’s golden “Play ball!” Leonoudakis apy session illustrated this to live this every day. This age, so it seems like such a finally shouts, marking the longing. gets the stress out,” she natural fit.” beginning of what is essen- Amid bright colors he says, clenching her teeth Oh, whose office also tially an admission-free day wrote, “I draw pictures, I before regaining her smile. hosts therapeutic programs at an imaginary ballpark. give them to my wife be- “We both need this.” involving art, music, gar- There are concessions, cause I love her, it’s now The last participant to dening and dance, says with free pecan cookies, baseball time.” come to the imaginary plate baseball touches a nerve. water and coffee. There are Machinski even recently is Jones. She doesn’t want to “It brings them to the bobblehead dolls, with brought in flour sacks that do it, but her daughter present,” she says. “Individ- Leonoudakis passing were used as baseball jer- Freda urges her, and so she uals with dementia are often around tiny sculptures of seys by his naval team. steps up for her first at-bat just home and not engaging the generation-spanning “I played pitcher and in nearly a century. in conversation, not being , Randy catcher,” he says, and when And she crushes it. She stimulated with activities. Johnson and Tom Seaver. asked if it was fun, he ex- lines a ball directly off When they come here, it Then there are stories, claims, “100%!” Leonoudakis’ leg as wit- stirs up strong memories plenty of stories, with this After the presentation nesses howl in delight, and they have not thought about week’s tales focused on and discussion ends, there for a moment, everyone is for a long time. It opens legendary Negro Leagues is a seventh-inning stretch. present, everything is clear, them up. It’s real and impor- pitcher Chet Brewer and Of course there is. Everyone and Jones beams at this tant socialization.” that wonderful Pasadena stands and Leonoudakis walk-off hit into a warm and It starts with a baseball, historical institution known picks up the guitar and familiar sunset. but officially begins with a as The Baseball Reliquary. plays “Take Me Out To The “I felt like I was reaching John McCoy Getty Images song. On this Friday, after But the best tales come Ballgame.” for it, and I couldn’t find it,” THIRD BASEMAN Matt Thaiss can’t stop a ball hit Leonoudakis passes out from the participants them- Afterward he shouts, she says of the pitch. “But I by Renato Nunez that goes for a third-inning double. baseballs from a plastic selves, spurred by a with the excitement of a kid found it.”