Angels rally to snap Dodgers’ five-game winning streak, 3-2

And then everything did not go exactly right. Outfielders could not run down drives or bobbled balls for an error. Spot starters faltered. Relievers failed.

That’s all bound to happen sometime, and it did as the Dodgers’ five-game winning streak came to an end on another freakishly hot September night in a 3-2 loss Wednesday to the Angels.

Even then, though, it wasn’t all bad for the Dodgers. The Giants also lost Wednesday, reducing the Dodgers’ magic number for clinching the National League West to 15.

After struggling against Angels starter Garrett Richards all night, the Dodgers scraped together a run to tie the score at 2-2 in the eighth, only for the Angels to come back in the bottom of the inning with a winning rally.

Left-hander Luis Avilan started the eighth and promptly gave up a double to Kole Calhoun. Andre Ethier bobbled the ball for an error and Calhoun hustled to third base.

Manager Don Mattingly then went to Pedro Baez, who, after striking out Mike Trout, gave up a single to Albert Pujols that scored Calhoun with the go-ahead run.

Houston Street retired the Dodgers in order in the ninth to earn his 33rd save.

The game also snapped the Angels’ eight-game losing streak to the Dodgers.

Things got off promisingly for the Dodgers. Scott Schebler lined the first pitch Richards threw on the night out to center for a home run. He followed Justin Ruggiano’s act from the previous night, giving the Dodgers leadoff home runs in consecutive games for the first time since 1951.

And then the Dodgers’ offense went real quiet for a long time. They did not manage another hit until Corey Seager singled to lead off the fifth inning. And then he was picked off first by Richards. He should have been safe, but he was caught doing a two-step, transferring his pivot foot while leaving both feet momentarily off the bag. Hey, kids have to learn.

The Angels tied the score with a two-out rally in the second inning off Joe Wieland, a late starter for Mat Latos, who was scratched with a stiff neck. Shortstop Erick Aybar and third baseman David Freese hit back-to-back doubles to tie the score at 1-1. Freese’s double went off the glove of a sprinting Joc Pederson. It would have been an outstanding catch, but it’s a ball Pederson has run down in the past.

The Angels took their first lead in the third inning after second baseman Taylor Featherson led off with a triple. Featherston hustled into third, seeming to catch Schebler by surprise, who may have been a bit casual retrieving the ball in left. Featherston scored on Calhoun’s sacrifice fly.

It remained a 2-1 Angels’ lead heading into the eighth inning when Pederson led off with a double. Mattingly had Austin Barnes bunt to sacrifice Pederson to third base, but Schebler struck out. Chase Utley then punched 1-2 pitch into left for a run-scoring double to tie the score, 2-2.

Richards left after the Utley double. In his 7 2/3 innings, he gave up the two runs on four hits, walked three and matched his career high with 11 strikeouts.