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Pitching duels are pretty easy to write about, at least in terms of the post-game, because there's really not much to say about them. Both team's pitchers would shutdown the batters they faced, low scoring, etc. Tonight was no different, as you had Jered Weaver vs. Derek Holland dueling back and forth 1-2-3 innings, as well as exchanging close, near-horrific tightrope innings.
Jered Weaver gave up a run early, when Adrian Beltre singled home a run for Texas in the first inning. After that, Weaver would end up going six innings, with four hits and just that one, solitary run scored. Holland had the Angels looking silly on ground out after ground out, with their only respite from disappointment coming via a C.J. Cron RBI. Cron's hit was a ground out, natch. And that's how it was all the way till the eighth inning, the Angels and Rangers settled into that 1-1 score and neither showing signs of budging. It would take a mistake. It ALWAYS comes down to a mistake.
And then it came in the eighth, as Joe Smith took the mound and attempted to hold on to this game's reins. Taylor Featherston, he of the DL'd Johnny Giavotella replacement fame, made a seriously critical error when Mitch Moreland hit one right to Featherston, but he let it hop right past his glove and into shallow outfield territory. Moreland was replaced with pinch runner Ryan Strausborger, who would then go first to third on a single by Elvis Andrus. From there, it just took a sac fly from Rougned Odor, and the Rangers had the 2-1 lead.
The Halos had no answer in the bottom of the eighth, and in the ninth they had who they would want up if they wanted to get back in the game. They had Mike Trout, Albert Pujols and C.J. Cron. Mike Trout would strike out, Pujols would ground out(natch) and Cron got K'd.
That was all she wrote. A tough loss to take on a night when Weaver and the bullpen did a pretty damn good job. Holland was just on point, as well. Tomorrow the Angels can still take the series. One game at a time.