After five-year wait, Angels’ Cam Bedrosian collects first major league win

When Cam Bedrosian retired the side in order in the top of the ninth for the Angels on Wednesday afternoon, it was a welcome step in the right direction after a disastrous 12th inning appearance the day before.

But in the end, Bedrosian got far more than redemption for one bad outing. The 23-year-old came away with his first major league win.

After being drafted in the first round by the Angels in 2010, it took Bedrosian five years to collect that first victory. That it came one game after he allowed a two-run homer to Giovanny Urshela that gave the Indians a 2-0 victory was just a bonus.

“I’ve always told myself, just persevere,” Bedrosian said. “There’s going to be bad times, I’ve had bad times, it’s not the first time, [and] hopefully it’s a long road.”

Bedrosian helped his own cause in the ninth, twice snagging grounders up the middle to stop hits and record the out. The first of those at-bats came against Urshela.

Rather than try to do something radically different than what he did Tuesday, Bedrosian went with almost the exact same approach, throwing two sliders. The only change was his execution.

“I wasn’t afraid to go” to the breaking ball, Bedrosian said. “Just last night, I made a mistake, and I knew that if I made my pitch, it would work.”

Two batters later, Mike Aviles also swung at the second pitch he saw, a 96 mile-per-hour fastball. Bedrosian snagged the grounder and flipped it to Albert Pujols to end the inning and keep the Angels within striking distance, 3-1.

From there, his teammates went to work, using two singles, walks and wild pitches each to score three runs and rally for the 4-3 walk-off win. It was the Angels’ second walk-off wild pitch win this season.

The scoreless inning lowers Bedrosian’s earned-run average to 4.58 in 17 games this season. His career record is now 1-1 with no saves.

And after five years, he’s ready to celebrate another breakthrough with his family.

“Oh 100%,” he laughed when asked whether they watched Wednesday’s game. “[My dad] already sent me a picture. He’s with my brother and my little nephew. It was them, they were holding the No. 1 up and they were holding the baby and saying No. 1.”

The picture isn’t the only memento Bedrosian hopes to share with his dad.

“I haven’t got a ball yet but if I do, I will” send it to him.