Angels right-hander Matt Shoemaker finally finds his form in spring training

Matt Shoemaker took the mound Sunday thinking about his release point and mechanics and all the adjustments he made in the wake of his previous spring start, when he was rocked for seven runs and 10 hits, including three homers, against the Cincinnati Reds.

That didn’t go so well. The Angels right-hander walked four and gave up a long solo home run to Joey Gallo in the first two innings against the Texas Rangers.

Shoemaker then cleared his head and retired six of seven batters in the third and fourth innings, two by strikeout, a strong finish to a four-inning, one-run, two-hit, four-strikeout effort in the Angels’ 7-3 victory in Tempe Diablo Stadium.

“The third and fourth inning, that’s where I need to be,” Shoemaker said. “The first two innings were a little rough. I tried to tweak some things instead of compete. But those are things you work on on the side.

“In the game, you let your instincts and emotion take over and you compete, and I did the better of that in the third and fourth innings.”

Manager Mike Scioscia could tell Shoemaker was distracted, so he had pitching coach Charlie Nagy chat with the pitcher before the third inning.

“When you’re on the mound, if you haven’t ironed out those mechanics in bullpens and side pieces, it’s tough to do it mid-game,” Scioscia said. “But he made some adjustments and did a good job.”

The Angels began spring training with eight major league-caliber starters, and it appeared Shoemaker would have to win a spot after going 7-10 with a 4.46 earned-run average last season.

But with C.J. Wilson (sore shoulder) and Tyler Skaggs (elbow discomfort) expected to open the season on the disabled list and Jered Weaver (neck stiffness) likely to join them, the team’s rotation depth has been thinned, assuring Shoemaker a spot on opening day.

Waiting game

Skaggs, who missed all of 2015 while recovering from reconstructive elbow surgery, will throw live batting practice Monday and a simulated game Saturday. He hopes to appear in an exhibition by late March but won’t be ready to pitch in the regular season until mid- to late-April.

“It’s frustrating, but at the same time, I can’t rush this thing,” said Skaggs, who hasn’t pitched since July 31, 2014. “I have to trust the process. It’s one of those things where I’ve already waited a long time, what’s a few more weeks?”

There is one benefit to Skaggs’ delayed start. With an agreed-upon limit of 160 to180 innings in his first season back from Tommy John surgery, the left-hander shouldn’t have to be shut down in September like New York Mets star Matt Harvey was for parts of last September.

“I wanted to come in healthy, ready to go … but it’s just a small bump in the road,” Skaggs said. “The elbow feels fine. I just have to get over the hump mentally, get into a game and feel 100% back.”

Shifty business

The Angels employed an extreme shift on Rangers slugger Mitch Moreland in the first inning, placing all four infielders on the right side of first base. Moreland walked.

“I’ve seen teams do it, but we never have,” Scioscia said. “It’s sensitive to some counts and who’s pitching. It’s going to be rare, but it was there for us this afternoon.”

mike.digiovanna@latimes.com