Yankees sweep reeling Angels
The Los Angeles Angels’ eighth consecutive loss was all about their struggling offense until it became about their struggling bullpen.
Just after the Angels had squeaked out a one-run lead in the eighth inning, they gave up two runs in the bottom of the inning to lose 2-1 to the New York Yankees in the second game of a split doubleheader on Thursday.
The Angels’ streak was extended earlier in the day with an all-around bad game in a 6-1 loss that included Shohei Ohtani giving up four runs.
The Angels (27-25) matched their longest losing streak since August 2019.
In the second game, the Angels spent most of the night barely touching right-hander Jameson Taillon. Taillon held them without a baserunner until the eighth, but then Jared Walsh doubled and scored on a two-out single by Kurt Suzuki.
Manager Joe Maddon, who had already used Aaron Loup and Ryan Tepera, turned to rookie Oliver Ortega to try to bridge the three-out gap before closer Raisel Iglesias in the ninth.
Ortega, though, got one out on a fly ball to the warning track, and then he gave up a double and two walks, loading the bases. Right-hander Archie Bradley struck out Joey Gallo for the second out, but then pinch-hitter Anthony Rizzo punched a two-run single up the middle.
The Angels loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth on two walks and a hit batter against Yankees right-hander Clay Holmes, but Luis Rengifo grounded out to end it.
After the first game, Angels manager Joe Maddon said he suspects the Bronx Bombers knew something about Ohtani, the reigning AL MVP, that even the two-way star didn’t.
Maddon indicated that Ohtani was tipping his pitches to New York after the right-hander gave up solo homers to Matt Carpenter, Gleyber Torres and Aaron Judge.
Tigers 3, Twins 2: Daz Cameron hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the eighth inning and surging Detroit held on at home to beat slumping Minnesota. Cameron’s 416-foot shot off Emilio Pagan (1-2) scored Eric Haase, who hit a one-out single.
Rays 3, Rangers 1: Corey Kluber excelled again at Globe Life Field, pitching six solid innings as visiting Tampa Bay beat Texas. In his previous appearance at the ballpark, Kluber threw a no-hitter at Texas on May 19, 2021, while with the Yankees. Kluber allowed one run and four hits, striking out four and walking none.
Blue Jays 8, White Sox 3: Alek Manoah pitched into the eighth inning, Teoscar Hernandez homered and host Toronto extended its winning streak to eight games by finishing a three-game sweep of Chicago. Santiago Espinal had three hits and a season-high three RBIs as the surging Blue Jays won for the 12th time in 15 games. Chicago has lost six of eight.
Reds 8, Nationals 1: Rookie Graham Ashcraft delivered another gem, throwing seven innings of one-run ball, and Joey Votto and Kyle Farmer hit three-run homers for host Cincinnati. The 24-year-old Ashcraft (2-0), who got his first major league win last week, reached the upper 90s with his sinker and cutter. He struck out four and allowed just four hits.
Briefly: Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor missed the opener of New York’s series at the Dodgers after catching his right middle finger in a hotel room door . ... Robinson Cano elected to become a free agent after he declined an assignment to Triple-A El Paso. Cano, 39, batted just .091 (3 for 33) without an extra-base hit in 12 games for the Padres, joining San Diego after being released by the New York Mets last month . ... Scans show Dodgers outfielder Kevin Pillar has a fractured left shoulder, which could require surgery that would put his status for the season in doubt . ... Twins broadcaster Jim Kaat referred to New York Yankees left-hander Nestor Cortes as “Nestor the Molestor” during a broadcast Thursday, the second offensive remark in the past year by the 83-year-old Hall of Fame pitcher while calling a game . ... Thursday was Lou Gehrig Day around the majors, when baseball celebrates the life and legacy of the Yankees’ Hall of Famer, who died on June 2, 1941, of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.