It set up just as Angels manager Joe Maddon had hoped.
Starting pitcher Griffin Canning delivered six strong innings, an early two-run home run by Hunter Renfroe his only blemish on a seven-strikeout night against the Boston Red Sox.
The Angels’ offense had rallied to take a late lead, getting on the board thanks to Shohei Ohtani’s Green Monster-clearing solo shot in the sixth and José Iglesias’ go-ahead two-run double in the top of the seventh.
And Tony Watson was throwing some of his hardest fastballs of the season in the bottom of the seventh, a couple of outs away from passing the lead along to set-up man Mike Mayers and closer Raisel Iglesias.
But then, in what has become a familiar story line during the opening act of this Angels season, that script went up in flames.
Watson gave up a single to Renfroe, then pulled a change-up over the plate that Bobby Dalbec clobbered to left-center, a go-ahead two-run blast that lifted the Red Sox to a 4-3 win over the Angels at Fenway Park.
The Angels didn’t have another comeback in them, failing to put a runner on base in the final two innings and striking out in their final five at-bats. Instead of taking the opening game of their trip to Boston, they suffered a third straight defeat and dropped to a season-worst five games under .500 at 16-21.
“We just have to finish these games off,” Maddon said. “We’ve lost games with leads late too often. I do believe this bullpen is better than it’s shown on a consistent basis. And you have to be, in order to get where you want. You have to win games that you’re supposed to late, when you grab leads.”
Instead, a common theme has emerged this month, the Angels coming up short in what Maddon has called the “laser-thin” margins that can dictate a season.
In April, starting pitching was the Angels’ biggest problem. The rotation’s 5.97 ERA was the worst in the majors. And the starters were averaging less than 4 2/3 innings per start. In May, however, that group has been much better. Entering Friday, the rotation had a 3.72 ERA in May and was averaging a majors-best 12.26 strikeouts-per-nine.
And that was before Canning’s six-inning, six-hit, two-run display against the Red Sox (24-16), the right-hander using his over-the-head wind-up for a third consecutive successful start. In his last three outings, Canning has pitched 17 innings, struck out 20 and given up only three runs.
“I believe in myself, so I guess it’s nice to see some results,” said Canning, who lowered his season ERA to 4.78. “But now this one’s over. Move on to the next one, try and get better this week.”
It’s the Angels’ relievers, however, in need of the most improvement. After posting a 4.34 ERA in April — including a 4.80 ERA in “high-leverage” situations, according to FanGraphs — they have a major league -worst 7.35 mark in May. Entering Friday, their high-leverage ERA had risen to 8.22. Their 35 walks and 11 home runs this month also lead all MLB bullpens.
“They’re throwing the ball as well as they can. We just got to get the results,” Maddon said. “We haven’t had those.”
Even their top relievers have suffered disastrous hiccups.
Watson became the latest Friday. After giving up only one run in his first 11 innings this season, “he pulled a change-up,” Maddon said, referring to the two-strike mistake that Dalbec sent out of the park. “Sometimes the hitter misses it. Sometimes he takes. This time he didn’t.”
Maddon maintained belief brighter days are ahead. He pointed to recent improvements from Mayers and Iglesias. He again lauded the positive vibe he feels in the clubhouse.
But he also acknowledged all that only matters so much if wins don’t follow.
“I hate that I have to keep sitting here, talking about examples of [close losses],” Maddon said. “We played well. Nice game. Had the lead. Right guys available on the mound. And it didn’t play out. It’s frustrating. We got to keep fighting through it.”
