Angels double up in pain in 6-1 loss to Cleveland

The meek shall inherit the Earth, or at least a sliver of land in Anaheim known as Angel Stadium.

Last-place teams continue to embarrass the Angels on their home field, the Cleveland Indians’ 6-1 victory Tuesday the latest indignity.

Given what seemed like an ideal opportunity to make one final push against slumping Texas in the American League West, the Angels instead have been thrust further into irrelevance by two of the worst teams in baseball.

Baltimore swept the Angels in the final three games of their most recent homestand, and the Indians have won the first two games of this series. It is the first time the Angels have lost five consecutive home games since April 28-May 2, 2006.

Bad things came in pairs for the Angels. They grounded into two double plays, had two runners caught stealing and went hitless in two at-bats with runners in scoring position.

Angels relievers had a particularly brutal night. Francisco Rodriguez faced four batters in the sixth inning, retired none and gave up No. 9 hitter Lou Marson’s first career grand slam. Scot Shields walk off the mound accompanied by a trainer an inning later after suffering tightness in his right elbow, though after the game Shields said he was fine.

Torii Hunter homered for a second consecutive game but made another inexplicable play on the bases, which Manager Mike Scioscia labeled “a miscommunication,” attempting to steal third in the seventh inning with the Angels trailing by five runs. He was thrown out and a two-on, nobody-out threat quickly fizzled.

“I apologize for us as a team,” Hunter said. “We need to play better.”

Moving on out

With Kendry Morales entrenched at first base heading into next season, prospect Mark Trumbo said he anticipated playing the outfield in a Venezuelan winter league to enhance his versatility at the major league level.

“The whole off-season, I’m going to be working as hard as I can to grasp everything, the nuances of playing out there,” said Trumbo, who has primarily played first base in the minor leagues.

Scioscia said Trumbo could play in the outfield over the season’s final month after the 24-year-old played about 20 games there for triple-A Salt Lake.

“Hopefully it will keep moving him forward and he’ll be a viable option to be in our outfield depth” going into next season, Scioscia said.

Trumbo’s bat has already put him on the Angels’ radar. The Villa Park High product hit a career-high .301 this season and led the Pacific Coast League in home runs (36), runs batted in (122) and runs scored (103).

Pleasant detour

Catching prospect Hank Conger had to scrap a planned vacation with his father when he learned Monday that he would spend the rest of the season with the Angels.

Not that he minded.

“It sounds corny, but it’s a dream come true,” said Conger, a Huntington Beach High graduate. “Ever since I was 8 years old playing, I really didn’t think there would ever be a day where I would be standing in this clubhouse with everyone else.”

Conger, 22, hit .300 with 11 homers and a career-high 26 doubles in his first season at triple A, but Scioscia called the catcher “a little bit green” because injuries have forced him to miss a significant number of games early in his career. Conger is expected to play winter ball in the Dominican Republic.

Short hops

Joel Pineiro, recovering from a strained oblique muscle, pitched a four-inning simulated game and will be activated later this week barring any setbacks. … The Angels released utility infielder Robb Quinlan, who hit .121 in 23 games this season. … Hunter has been nominated for the Roberto Clemente Award, presented annually to the major league player who combines outstanding community service with excellence on the field.

ben.bolch@latimes.com