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Angels sell 3 million tickets for 13th straight season

ANAHEIM -- While players enjoyed their final off-day of the regular season on Thursday, the Angels' sales office sold its 3 millionth ticket, extending the club's vaunted streak of drawing 3 million fans to 13 seasons.

The Angels are expected to reach 3 million on Tuesday or Wednesday against the A's, joining the Yankees as the only franchise to do it every year since 2003 -- the year after the Angels won their first and only World Series title.

Early on, the Angels' streak looked to be in serious jeopardy.

By the end of the fourth homestand on June 3, the Angels were averaging 34,061 fans. Their home attendance had fallen 4,556 per game from where it was by that point in 2014, accounting for the third-largest drop in the Major Leagues. But their attendance picked up during the summer and they got a big boost last homestand, averaging 40,669 in nine games against the Rangers, Dodgers and Astros.

The Angels entered Friday averaging 37,359, slightly down from last year's mark (38,221) but still fifth-highest in the Major Leagues.

Worth noting

• Angels setup man Joe Smith played light catch prior to Friday's game. Smith said his sprained left ankle "has gotten better every day. I played some light catch today, felt pretty good, felt comfortable enough to do it, so I think that's a good sign."

• A fan was struck in the left wrist by a Mike Trout foul ball during Friday's game, prompting him to leave to receive medical care. The ball deflected and hit another fan, drawing some blood, but a team official believed they would be OK.

Alden Gonzalez is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @Alden_Gonzalez and listen to his podcast.
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