Rengifo hurt, but Angels rally to win
On a night that began with the Angels suffering a freak injury to their hottest hitter, his replacement came through in the end.
The Angels scored two runs in the ninth to pull out a 3-2 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday night, ending the Angels’ six-game losing streak hours after Luis Rengifo suffered a first-inning injury while swinging the bat in the on-deck circle.
Randal Grichuk, who replaced Rengifo, had the game-winning single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.
The rally began with No. 7 hitter Chad Wallach hitting a double off of Guardians All-star closer Emmanuel Clase with one out. Brett Phillips followed with a single and then Kyren Paris singled, driving in the tying run for his first major league RBI. After an intentional walk to Nolan Schanuel and Brandon Drury’s forceout at the plate, Grichuk lined a single to center.
ANAHEIM >>
THE SCORE
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The Angels didn’t score their first run until the seventh, using a lineup that was without the reigning American League Player of the Week.
Rengifo was about to step up to the plate when he felt something wrong while getting ready to hit. He grabbed his left arm. Head athletic trainer Mike Frostad came to check on him, and he quickly left the game.
There was no immediate word on how much time he might miss, but the Angels can’t afford to be without their hottest hitter for long as they try to get through this disappointing season with a few more victories.
Shohei Ohtani has been out for the past four games because of oblique tightness, and Mickey Moniak was a late scratch because of a back issue.
After Rengifo came out of the game, second baseman Drury was the only player left in the Angels’ lineup who was also in their Opening Day lineup.
Five others are injured and one (Hunter Renfroe) was lost on waivers in a cost-cutting move. Catcher Logan O’hoppe had the day off on Thursday.
Rengifo was batting third on Thursday because he’d been on a tear since late June, hitting .319 with a .965 OPS over his last 63 games. He has a 14-game hitting streak, which is still intact because he did not have an official at-bat.
While the Angels’ patchwork lineup couldn’t muster any offense, their pitchers did a nice job of holding down the Guardians in a bullpen game.
Left-hander Jhonathan Diaz recorded the first five outs and right-hander Andrew Wantz picked up the next four.
Right-hander Davis Daniel then worked three scoreless innings in his major league debut.
Daniel, a 26-year-old former seventh-round pick, reached the major leagues for three days last year but he didn’t get into a game.
He allowed the leadoff man to get on base in each of his innings but escaped unscathed. He struck out one and walked three.
There is good news about Daniel Hudson’s knee — the left one.
“Feels really good,” he said with an ironic chuckle.
The veteran reliever had surgery on his left knee to repair a torn ACL last year. It’s his right knee now that is the problem. Hudson suffered a sprained MCL in his third game after returning to the majors in July.
Hudson is on this road trip with the Dodgers, throwing in the outfield and has even thrown “a couple bullpens.” He might throw to hitters at some point next week. But he’s doing it all with his right knee heavily taped and covered in a brace.
Ask Hudson how he’s doing and the tone in his voice tells more than the actual words.
“It feels ... I don’t know,” he said.
“I’m just trying to keep my arm going just in case things turn a corner. Trying to get as much done as I can. Keep hammering away at it. ... But right now it’s just kind of staying the same.”
Hudson hasn’t given up on the dream of returning to pitch this season, saying he remains “hopeful and optimistic ... but I’m trying to be realistic at the same time.”
Realistically, he won’t be pitching again this season.
“We’re running out of days,” he said. “We’ll see. I’m doing everything I can.”
MIAMI >>
Homecoming games
Miguel Rojas was so excited for the Dodgers’ series in Miami this week that he booked a redeye flight after Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Braves, arriving early Monday morning ahead of his teammates so he could have the full day with his family.
“I’m going to have the chance to take my son to school for three days,” Rojas said of the highlight for him.
The 34-year-old shortstop, who spent eight seasons with the Marlins, said he hadn’t been back to Loandepot
Park since the day he learned he was traded to the Dodgers. He got the news on Jan. 11 while he was checking in with the Marlins’ team trainers to monitor his progress from offseason wrist surgery.
Rojas kept his 8-year-old son in his local school when the new season began. He was among the “40 to 50” ticket requests Rojas filled for the three-game series. The Marlins played a video tribute to Rojas during Tuesday’s game, heavy on clips of Rojas doing work in the community.
Rojas said he holds no hard feelings toward the front office that traded him only eight months ago.
“I feel like I’m in a great place right now,” he said. “I’m enjoying this season as much as I’ve enjoyed baseball in my life. I have the worst career offensive numbers of my life but I’m having more fun than ever. It’s not about me. It’s about helping the team win.”
A .265 hitter during his time with the Marlins, Rojas is batting .223 in 106 games for the Dodgers this season.
Martinez rehab
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts joked that J.D. Martinez “finally threw out a hit in his last at-bat” for Triple-a Oklahoma City on Wednesday night so he’s ready to rejoin the Dodgers.
Martinez was 1 for 8 in two rehab games with OKC and Roberts said he expects
Martinez to be in the Dodgers’ lineup Friday at Washington. Whether he can continue to play without a recurrence of the groin/hamstring issues that landed him on the injured list remains to be seen.
“I think that we’re all pretty confident. Hopeful and confident, I guess,” Roberts said. “But I think where we’re at right now – if he’s not, it’s where we’re at. I think he knows that. We’ve done everything we can do. He’s got to be out there and post for us as we finish out the season.”
Pitching plans
Roberts said the Dodgers will give Clayton Kershaw five days off between starts. The three-time Cy Young Award winner will go again on Monday against the San Diego Padres. Kershaw has not pitched on less than five days of rest since returning from a six-week stay on the IL with an unspecified shoulder injury.
That leaves the Dodgers without a starter for Sunday’s game against the Nationals.
Also
Right-hander Michael Grove began a rehab assignment with OKC on Thursday. Grove has been out for more than a month with a strained lat muscle.
Staff writer J.P. Hoornstra contributed to this notebook.