Angels drop Series to Cleveland, look to avoid being Swept Tomorrow

Today’s matchup featured two young dueling pitchers in Reid Detmers and Triston McKenzie; both coming off of their best starts of the season. The Halos have struggled against Cleveland going just 7-28 in head to head matchups since 2015 and when playing at Cleveland they’re 1-17 since 2015.

It was just Detmers fourth major league start and he got into early trouble. He was saved from giving up a run in the first from this great relay; Upton to Fletch to Stassi:

Detmers still dealt with traffic all day as his command wavered. In the first inning he allowed a double, single, two walks, and two stolen bases but escaped without giving up a run.

Detmers got into trouble again in the third with two on and no one out and then gave up a three run HR to José Ramírez. Of the 15 runs Detmers has allowed this season, 11 have come via the homerun ball. His day was over by the fourth with his final line: 3.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 4 K. While it may not have resulted in a win, starts like this are a necessary experience and are only going to help Detmers develop into a better pitcher.

Triston McKinzie was nearly untouchable all day and utilized a breaking ball that was absolutely devastating that held the Angels to just two hits over seven innings.

While the three run deficit had a slight feeling of a monumental impasse, the bottom of the seventh added to a total that the slumping offense couldn’t overcome.

Rosario started it with a leadoff home run off of Mayers, increasing their lead to 4-0. Mayers was then pulled and Cishek entered. His outing went: walk, single, single. Then Selman came in with the nearly impossible task of escaping a bases loaded no out jam. A sacrifice fly by Zimmer scored another run but at least there was an out. Selman got Miller to strike out and then Hedges grounded out to Fletcher which limited the damage to one.

After McKenzie walked Iglesias to start the eighth, he was pulled at 95 pitches to an ovation from the home crowd. In his last 2 starts he has gone 15 innings allowing just 3 hits, 1 walk, 0 runs, and striking out 19.

Brian Shaw came in and Iglesias scored after Jo Adell reached on a fielder’s choice.

A double play ball ended the threat but the Angels had scratched across a run making it a 5-1 game.

Emmanuel Clase came in the ninth and sent the Angels down 1-2-3 on 11 pitches.

While pitching has been a problem for the Angels all season, the offense recently has largely disappeared. In the month of August they’ve ranked 27th as a team in OPS (.648) and slugging (.351), 24th in OBP (.297) and 19th in runs (77).

The Angels now sit at 62-63, a game under .500, fourth in the AL West, 12 games out of first and nine games back of the second Wild Card. They head to Williamsport, Pa to play their final game with Cleveland at the site of the LLWS.

Angels News and Notes:

• Shohei Ohtani’s next start is slated for Wednesday in Baltimore
• ICYMI:

- Mike Trout spoke to the media for the first time this month: still no rehab date set but he said he’s feeling better. Trout hasn’t thought of shutting down for the season but recognized that time is running out; he still feels soreness the day after he pushes himself

- Alex Cobb suffered a setback and Joe Maddon said he doesn’t expect for him to pitch anytime soon