Williams Registers Another Win for Angels

By Fred Guzman

How dramatically things have changed for Jerome Williams.

A year ago, Williams was pitching for a team in Taiwan, which is about as far as you can get from the major leagues in geography and status.

At the start of the current baseball campaign, the right-hander from Waipahu was laboring for the Lancaster Barnstormers of the independent Atlanta League.

Last night, William delivered a masterful – and clutch  — performance on behalf of the contending Angels.

Williams allowed just one hit – Trayyon Robinson’s leadoff homer in the top of the sixth – over eight innings as the Angels beat Seattle 3-1 and moved to within 2.5 games of the pace-setting Texas Rangers in the American League West.

Since the Angels signed the 29-year-old in June and recalled him last month from  their Triple-A affiliate in Salt Lake City, Williams had been out of the major leagues since 2007.

Last night’s pitching gem improved his season record to 3-0  — walking one and striking out four — and lowered his ERA to 3.51.

It also couln’t have come at a more opportune time for the Angels, who are seeking to overtake the hard-hitting Rangers in the standings.

Meantime, Shane Victorino when 0-for-3 in Philadelphia’s 3-2 win over Atlanta and Kurt Suzuki collected a pair of hits and scored twice for Oakland in a 7-0 win over Kansas City as Guillermo Moscoso held the Royals hitless for 7.2 innings.