Joey Gallo’s monster home run helps Rangers beat Angels, 4-2
A glove an inch too high, a player a step too fast, a throw a foot too high. Little things happen in a baseball game and sometimes they add up all wrong.
Sometimes they add up to a tough loss.
The Angels were not awful Sunday afternoon, but neither were they particularly good, at least not good enough to avoid a difficult 4-2 loss to the Texas Rangers.
Games are getting precious now for teams chasing a playoff spot and Sunday’s loss pushed the Angels two games behind the Minnesota Twins for the final American League wild-card berth. They have 13 left to play.
“We obviously want to be ahead of everybody, but we still have a shot,” said Angels outfielder Mike Trout.
They had a few shots at scoring more than two runs against the Rangers on Sunday, but the big moment never arrived.
They did absolutely nothing in the early innings with Texas pitcher Miguel Gonzalez, who was acquired Sept. 1. The veteran right-hander had allowed 11 earned runs in the first 5 1/3 innings of his two previous starts with the Rangers, but did not allow a hit to the Angels through the first four innings.
The Angels finally made some noise in the fifth when Luis Valbuena walked and C.J. Cron and Kaleb Cowart singled to load the bases with one out for Trout. He hit a deep fly to center to sacrifice a run home but failed to completely square up the pitch up for a dramatic September grand slam.
“I just missed it,” Trout said.
After a walk to Justin Upton to again load the bases, the Angels were certain Pujols had not missed on a drive into the right-center gap. But right-fielder Shin-Soo Choo, showing some serious speed, sprinted to the track to just snare the line drive.
One half step, and the hit was gone.
“Obviously he made a good catch, so I guess I didn’t,” Pujols said.
Going into the fifth inning the Angels were already down 3-0.
Right-hander Garrett Richards was making only his third start since missing almost the entire season because of a biceps strain, and he got off to a rough start in the first.
He walked Delino DeShields to open the game, and one out later, Elvis Andrus sent a routine bouncer to Luis Valbuena at third. Only Valbuena’s throw sailed about a foot over the glove of 6-foot-4 first baseman C.J. Cron for an error to allow the run to score. Adrian Beltre doubled off the wall and Texas was up 2-0.
There was no doubt about the Rangers’ third run. Joey Gallo absolutely crushed a Richards’ slider in the second inning, sending it two-thirds up the fake grass beyond the center-field fence an estimated 490 feet.
“You need a cab ride to get to it,” Banister said.
Richards settled down after Gallo’s 38th home run, not allowing another hit in his five innings. He struck out the side in the fifth and stretched out to 74 pitches.
“I felt pretty good,” Richards said. “I think after the home run I started to get my rhythm and timing going, and was throwing more strikes.”
In a good sign for the final two weeks, Richards (0-2) said fatigue was not a factor.
“I came out of today really good,” he said. “In my mind I’m ready for a 100 pitches.”
Texas tacked on a final run in the eighth after Jesse Chavez walked DeShields and Choo hit a grounder that just slipped under the glove of shortstop Andrelton Simmons by maybe an inch. Andrus made it cost with a sacrifice fly.
Trout got a run back with a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth, but that was all the offense the Angels could muster. Real dramatics had taken the afternoon off.
The days and opportunities dwindle now, and those little things can add up to huge differences.
“It’s late in the season and we have to grind at-bats,” Trout said. “Every chance we get, we have to capitalize.”
Short hops
Scioscia said left-hander Andrew Heaney (shoulder impingement) came out of his sideline throwing session fine but it was still undetermined when he would throw off a mound. … Brandon Phillips missed his second consecutive start because of lower back soreness. … Former Dodgers owner Peter O’Malley paid a pregame visit to Scioscia. … Oklahoma City Thunder guard and NBA MVP Russell Westbrook stopped by the Angels’ postgame locker room.
Go beyond the scoreboard
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