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Winning innings 2 through 9 doesn’t always get you a win. Not tonight.
Noe Ramirez started off this bullpen extravaganza - and launched himself into history as the first pitcher in history to save a game one day, and start a game the next. It didn’t go real well for Ramirez who got into trouble early when he gave up a lead-off double to Charlie Blackmon and two batters later - a two run shot to Carlos Gonzalez. Those 2 runs would prove fateful as the Angels bested the Rockies 2-1 for the remaining 8 2/3rd innings in this one.
Thanks to David Fletcher, the Angels even out hit the Rockies 6 hits to 5. Fletcher ended up with half of the Angels hits and added on a run and RBI, making him at least partially responsible for there not being a zero on the Angels end of the score.
The bullpen was (mostly) solid with Jim Johnson (1 IP), Taylor Cole (3 IP), Cam Bedrosian (1 IP), Jose Alvarez (1 IP), and Blake Parker (1 IP) all putting up zeros in their frames. The lone black mark from the bullpen after Ramirez was when the Rockies manufactured a run off Ty Buttrey who gave up a just a single followed by a stolen base and a pair of fly ball outs to score that critical 3rd run by Trevor Story.
Proving again that MLB needs robo umps, Taylor Ward’s called strike 3 was one of many examples in this game. Judge for yourself:
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Mike Trout just missed tying the game in the 8th with a 398 foot ball hit to wall after a Fletcher single, and Shohei Ohtani pinch hit in the 9th - striking out on a full count.
This game was just not meant to be. Turn the page and all that other stuff.