SAN FRANCISCO — Maybe this little elbow injury to Ervin Santana was just a ruse, a way for the Angels to find a temporary rotation spot for a triple-A right-hander whose name looks as if it could be carved right into the Blarney Stone.
Because if ever there was a pitcher who was meant to start against the San Francisco Giants on Irish Heritage Night in AT&T Park, where Tuesday's pregame festivities featured bagpipes, kilts and Irish dancers, it was Sean O'Sullivan.
Filling in for the injured Santana, O'Sullivan thrived in such Celtic conditions, limiting the Giants to one run and five hits in seven innings of an 8-1 interleague victory that extended the Angels' winning streak to five games.
Mixing a sharp-breaking curve with his 93-mph fastball early in the game and adding a floater of a 76-mph changeup in the later innings, the 21-year-old from El Cajon struck out five and walked one in a masterful major league debut.
About the only thing missing for the 6-foot-2, 230-pounder, who bears a facial resemblance to actor Jack Black, was the apostrophe between the O and the S in his name on the back of his jersey.
"I actually did notice that," O'Sullivan said of the Irish celebration. "My grandfather passed away two years ago and he was a full-blooded Irishman, so I really enjoyed the feeling that he was here with me."
O'Sullivan was sent back to Salt Lake after the game so the Angels could call up a fresh arm in reliever Rafael Rodriguez, but if Santana is not ready to return by next week, O'Sullivan will return to start against Colorado next Tuesday.
"I was not disappointed," he said. "I was thrilled to have the opportunity tonight, and hopefully this will present more opportunities in the future."
He didn't think the opportunity would come this soon. O'Sullivan, a third-round draft pick out of Grossmont College in 2005, started the season at double-A Arkansas but moved to triple A when injuries and the death of Nick Adenhart forced the Angels to dip deep into the Salt Lake rotation for pitchers.
"I definitely didn't see it happening this quick," O'Sullivan said, "but the opportunity presented itself, and I made the best of it. . . . It was everything I thought it would be, from the lights, to the fans to having my family in the stands. It was a thrill."
It helped that the offensive barrage continued for the Angels, who banged out 15 hits, four of them by slumping catcher Mike Napoli. They had four doubles and two homers and have scored 43 runs with 70 hits, including 15 homers, during their win streak.
