Angels Fall to Dodgers, Look for Series Win and Season Series Win Tomorrow

Every time the Angels and Dodgers play there seem to be two constants: the games are dramatic and tight. Tonight proved no exception but it didn’t go the Halos way.

Like the first game of the series, the Dodgers jumped to a quick two nothing lead, scoring two runs off Jaime Barría in the first before he could record two outs. Newly acquired Trea Turner in his first start with the Dodgers scored the first run of the game with his speed followed by Max Muncy scoring off a Corey Seager single.

Julio Urías had been roughed up in his previous outing against the Angels this season where he gave up five earned runs in five innings and the Angels continued to give him problems as the game progressed. After stranding two with nobody out in the first, the Angels came back to tie the game at two in the third. Fletcher doubled with one out then was doubled home by Iglesias.

Gosselin followed suit by singling up the middle, Iglesias avoided the tag at home, and the Angels tied it up still with just one out. An inning-ending popup was dropped and the Angels took the lead, accompanied by heads up base running from Jo Adell who ended up at second.

A slumping Cody Bellinger led off the seventh against Barría (at 89 pitches) with a 390 foot HR and Barría was pulled with the game now tied. Barría’s final line: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5K, 31% CSW.

Shohei Ohtani made another appearance as a pinch hitter with two out and two on in the eighth. The crowd was on their feet, but Ohtani struck out on a 101.5 mph fastball to end the inning.

The Angels bullpen has been on a stretch of allowing just one earned run over their last nineteen innings but those numbers changed tonight. Junior Guerra gave up two runs in the eighth which left the Angels trailing 5-3 heading into the ninth. The offense went down one-two-three to Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen.

Looking at the starting lineups on paper makes it seem that this game had no right to be so close but the Angels still kept it tight. They’ve still had this much success against the Dodgers without four of their best hitters.

This is what Joe Maddon had to say following the game:

Maddon also said that Iglesias and Warren were unavailable to pitch out of the pen which is why he let Barría face Bellinger.

The Angels currently sit seven games back of a Wild Card spot and sit a game above .500 at 56-55. They send Reid Detmers to the mound tomorrow to face Walker Buehler in a 1:10 start.

Angels News and Notes:

• Shohei Ohtani’s next start is scheduled for Thursday 8/12 at home against Toronto
• C-Rod and Suarez will pitch the doubleheader on Tuesday and Bundy will pitch Wednesday