Angels’ revolving rotation of pitchers fails again in 6-4 loss to Rangers

Rougned Odor and the Texas Rangers quickly got after yet another new Angels pitcher.

Odor’s two-run single capped a five-run outburst in the second inning off recently acquired Odrisamer Despaigne, the 14th starting pitcher used by the Angels this season, and the Rangers went on to a 6-4 win on Friday night.

“Hopefully we keep doing what we’re doing right now,” said Nomar Mazara, whose leadoff single started the second.

“You’ve got to credit the hitters in the lineup, the job that they’re doing,” manager Jeff Banister said. “We’re constantly talking the message of grinding at-bats out, be able to keep the ball in the middle of the field, the at-bats to draw walks, to create run-scoring opportunities, to hit behind runners, and drive the baseball in the gap.”

Joey Gallo’s two-run double into the right-field corner put the Rangers up 2-1 before he scored on a groundout by Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Odor’s two-run single was the fourth consecutive Rangers hit, and he added a sac fly in the seventh inning.

Drew Hutchison (2-2) struck out six and allowed two runs over five innings in his third start for the Rangers.

“Anytime you give up a run and then come back and score five then I was able to kind of get in a rhythm after that and have a few good innings,” Hutchison said.

Jose Leclerc struck out the side in the ninth for his fourth save.

“He’s nasty. It’s fun to watch him when I’m playing the outfield,” Mazara said. “His pitches move a lot.”

Andrelton Simmons hit a two-run homer , his eighth, that got the Angels within 5-4 in the sixth.

Despaigne (2-1), acquired Tuesday from the Miami Marlins in exchange for cash considerations, allowed five runs in four innings while becoming the 34th pitcher used by the Angels, which had never before used more than 31 in a season. Two relievers made their big-league debuts in the series opener for the Angels, when Texas overcame a five-run deficit even before its first at-bat to win.

“His stuff looked good. He obviously had a tough second inning,” manager Mike Scioscia said. “It looks like he lost his release point in the second. His ball-strike ratio was getting a little out of whack and he fought hard to get out of that inning with only five, but the damage was done at that point.”