Angels’ missed chances lead to series sweep in Toronto
TORONTO — The Angels wasted their weekend in Canada.
For three games, they made the least of their scoring opportunities, resulting in three straight one-run losses, two in extra innings.
The Angels lost 3-2 to the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday, leaving 12 runners on base and going 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position.
Their pitching was good enough to win each of the games, but the Angels (43-46) were never able to get a clutch hit to take the lead late in any of the games.
“We’re at a point now where in the years past it was good to see positive results even if it didn’t result in a win, but to be honest with you we’re over it,” catcher Logan O’Hoppe said. “We know what we’re capable of doing and we need to win games. It doesn’t feel good. Even though we were in it, it really doesn’t matter at the end of the day. No one is happy in this room.”
The Angels’ only runs on Friday came on a three-run homer, and they were otherwise hitless in nine at-bats with runners in scoring position. They were 2 for 12 with runners in scoring position on Saturday, including getting just one run apiece out of two early bases-loaded opportunities.
Add it up, and the Angels were 4 for 30 with runners in scoring position in the series.
On Sunday, they loaded the bases with one out in the fourth, and Gustavo Campero hit into a double play. They did get home one run in the fifth — on one of Taylor Ward’s three hits — but still left the bases loaded when O’Hoppe struck out.
“I have been terrible in those situations,” O’Hoppe said. “I need to lead the charge and be better for all of us going forward. Get to work tomorrow and put it motion for the last week (before the All-Star break).”
In the sixth, Nolan Schanuel hit a flyout to strand runners at the corners. Schanuel hit a half-swing groundout to leave two runners on in the eighth.
In the ninth, Trout and Jo Adell both scalded line drives that were snagged by third baseman Addison Barger, who had just entered the game for defense.
“Just bad luck,” interim manager Ray Montgomery said. “Anytime you’re rolling through 3-4-5 (in the batting order) with those guys, Mike hit the ball like that and Jo followed it up. I’ll take those ABs all the time. Unfortunately, bad aim.”
The sequence was symbolic of the entire weekend, as the red-hot Blue Jays extended their winning streak to eight games.
“They’re rolling right now,” Montgomery said. “They’re in that run where the breaks are falling their way. We had a popup we didn’t handle. They had a ground ball a 15-hopper up the middle get through there. TA pitched great. I have no issues with that.”
Angels starter Tyler Anderson was charged with three runs in five innings. Although he was victimized by that roller through the middle and by a missed popup, he wasn’t satisfied with his work.
“Still pitches I’d like back,” Anderson said. “Not in the zone as much I’d probably want to be. Fell behind a little bit, especially late. A couple pitches that were mistakes.”
Anderson shut out the Blue Jays until he allowed Bo Bichette’s leadoff homer in the fourth. With two outs in the inning, Anderson gave up back-to-back hits to knock in another run.
A defensive mistake cost Anderson in the sixth. Alejandro Kirk hit a foul popup toward the Toronto dugout. O’Hoppe and Chad Stevens, the third baseman, converged on the ball and got their feet tangled. Neither was able to make the catch and then Kirk singled, setting up the go-ahead run on Davis Schneider’s subsequent single.
“I had a good read on it,” O’Hoppe said. “I don’t know what Chad’s angle was or Chad’s read, but I had a good read on it.”
Anderson said it was disappointing not to get that out, but it nonetheless falls on him to rebound from it.
“Obviously if you can get that out and have one out and a runner at first instead of no outs first and third after that hit, it’s a big difference and a swing that inning,” Anderson said. “You just have to make good pitches after that. After that I didn’t really make good pitches, which is the bigger issue.”