Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco exited Monday's 4-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers after taking a comebacker off his leg in the seventh inning.
After a meeting on the mound with the team's trainer and manager Mike Scioscia, Nolasco left the game without allowing a run to the Dodgers in the first game of the Freeway Series.
"Staying positive is the main thing,'' Nolasco said after the game. "That was a bad little streak going there. I'd been feeling good in whatever games I'd been losing or whatever. Just trying to carry that over to (Monday) and make some pitches.
"Obviously they have a good lineup and things like that. Just trying to give us a chance to win and make a lot of good pitches.''
Nolasco (3-9) gave up five hits while striking out five and walking two in 6 2/3 innings.
"Ricky knows he's a better pitcher than what his numbers show so far this year,'' Mike Scioscia said. 'We know he's a better pitcher. Hopefully, he took some steps to get to that pitching we saw last year when he was throwing the balls as well as anybody in our league.''
The Associated Press contributed to this report.