Angels put their energy on display in comeback
ANAHEIM » Justin Upton knows that when a team is playing as badly as the Angels have played over the past few weeks, it’s easy to suspect that the energy or the effort has been lacking.
After his sacrifice fly provided the decisive run in a thrilling 6-5, comefrom-behind victory over the Oakland A’s on Sunday, Upton said the way the Angels played in this game was evidence that there is hope for this team.
“I know from the outside it doesn’t look the greatest,” Upton said, “but these guys are fighting every single day. We, as a team, feel like sometimes we’re putting ourselves in positions to win and it just hasn’t worked out for us. We battled back today. We put ourselves in position to win and we were able to win one. Hopefully that will spark the club.”
The Angels snapped a three-game losing streak on a day that they fell behind by four runs in the third inning and didn’t have Shohei Ohtani in the lineup. Things were going so badly in recent days that Manager Joe Maddon had penciled in a lineup with Upton at leadoff and Juan Lagares at cleanup, spots in which neither player had started once in their careers.
But Maddon’s makeshift lineup actually produced, from top to bottom. Ten of the 12 players who came to the plate either reached base or drove in a run, and one of the other two had a critical sacrifice to set up the winning run.
“A lot of good stuff,” Maddon said. “A lot of little things done well.”
Both of his pinch hitters in the seventh inning drove in runs, most dramatically when Ohtani emerged from the dugout to the roar of 15,154 and smoked a 111-mph
The Angels’ Taylor Ward slides into home to score on a sacrifice fly by Justin Upton during the eighth inning.
Rangers at Angels, today, 6:38 p.m., BSW
line drive to right field for a game-tying sacrifice fly.
José Iglesias followed Ohtani’s sacrifice fly with a go-ahead RBI single. After the Angels gave the lead back in on an unearned run in the top of the eighth, Upton drove in the decisive run with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth.
The Angels’ bullpen also worked 6-2/3 innings without allowing an earned run, setting the stage for the comeback. Struggling closer Raisel Iglesias retired all four batters he faced.
“We don’t win that without the bullpen,” Maddon said. “The bullpen is much maligned and these guys did a great job. All we need to do with this group is to get their confidence going. They are good. They’re they’re very talented. We just don’t have that mojo, that confidence, but we will.”
The best of the relievers was Steve Cishek, who retired all six hitters he faced to run his scoreless streak to 9-1/3 innings. Mike Mayers, who gave up the lead on Friday night, then picked four outs to hold the Angels deficit at 4-2 heading to the bottom oft he seventh, when the hitters sprung to life.
David Fletcher drew a one-out walk. Upton dropped a bloop single into left, his second hit of the day. Pinch-hitter Jose Rojas yanked a single past second baseman Tony Kemp into right field, cutting the deficit to 4-3.
Anthony Rendon then walked to load the bases, bringing Lagares to the plate.
Only Lagares didn’t get there. Maddon pulled him back after he’d walked halfway to the plate. After a short delay, Ohtani emerged from the dugout.
The A’s brought in lefty Reymin Guduan, but Ohtani still got the job done with a hard lineout to right field, driving in the tying run.
“Different launch angle and that might have hit the scoreboard,” Maddon said.
José Iglesias followed with a single into center, giving the Angels the lead.
Out of position players, Maddon chose to have Ohtani play right field instead of sacrificing the DH. Ohtani did not have to make any plays in two innings.
The Angels got the run they needed to win it before Ohtani could bat again in the eighth.
Taylor Ward drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on a Suzuki sacrifice, took third on a single by Fletcher, and scored on Upton’s fly ball.