ANAHEIM, Calif._They gave away dolls featuring the likeness of Andrelton Simmons with a bobbling head on Friday at Angel Stadium.
To better represent the night, maybe they should have distributed dolls featuring the likeness of an Angels fans with a shaking head.
Because what looked like a victory over Minnesota dissolved into a stinging 5-4 loss when manager Mike Scioscia's decision to allow reliever Justin Anderson to return for the ninth inning backfired.
Anderson had retired the top of the Twins' order 1-2-3 in the eighth, a one-sided showing that include two strikeouts.
In the ninth, however, he gave up a leadoff homer to Eddie Rosario and was charged with two more runs as Minnesota rallied to take the lead after Jim Johnson relieved Anderson.
The rookie hadn't pitched two innings once this season but had worked more than one inning on three occasions.
Still, the fact the move didn't work _ and didn't work under such dramatic conditions _ frustrated the Angels and their faithful. The defeat also ruined what had been excellent nights for Justin Upton and Tyler Skaggs. Upton homered for the fourth consecutive game _ a career first _ and Skaggs pitched well enough to win.
Upton's two-run shot off Lance Lynn in the third inning put the Angels up 3-1. He has home runs in five of six games and six of nine, all coming immediately after Upton had slumped to a .228 average and .368 slugging percentage on May 1.
According to the Angels, they haven't had a left fielder finish the season with more than 10 homers since 2012. Upton has 10 today, with 124 games to go.
His latest blast completed a three-run rally that began with something that must have felt more like a one-man revival to Kole Calhoun.
Struggling mightily and moved to the bench earlier this week, Calhoun dropped a single into shallow left field for his first hit since May 3.
Following a single by Martin Maldonado, Calhoun came home on a Zack Cozart fielder's choice for his first run since April 12.
Later, Calhoun added another single for his first multi-hit game since April 11, the Angels' right fielder enjoying a performance as significant _ if not as powerful _ as the one enjoyed by the Angels' left fielder.
For Skaggs, the game marked another step forward. His ninth pitch of the night ended up as a souvenir, Brian Dozier hammering it over the fence in left.
Although that certainly wasn't the way the left-hander wanted to start the night, the result was at least understandable.
In the first two games of this series, Dozier is six for seven with a walk.
Skaggs responded to that potentially deflating moment by striking out four of the next five Minnesota batters, and he was on his way to another quality start, his third of the season.
He briefly lost his command in the third inning _ giving up a two-out single and consecutive walks _ but left the bases loaded by inducing a fly out.
The only other damaging swing the Twins managed off Skaggs was Rosario's solo homer in the sixth.
Other than that, he held Minnesota in check, giving the Angels' offense the time and space it would need.
Unfortunately for the home team and its fans, everything eventually went to pieces because of one decision that turned sour.
