Angels’ relievers are unhappy squanderers vs. Astros
Heaney’s dominant performance is spoiled when bullpen twice blows two-run leads.
HOUSTON — Twice on Friday night, the Angels asked their bullpen to protect a two-run lead.
Twice, their relievers failed, first squandering a gem from starting pitcher Andrew Heaney, then surrendering three runs in the bottom of the 10th in a 5-4 walk-off loss to the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park.
Aaron Slegers was the first culprit, giving up a tying two-run home run to Yuli Gurriel in the bottom of the seventh — the first at-bat after Heaney exited the game with a 2-0 Angels lead.
Closer Raisel Iglesias then suffered the loss, blowing his second save opportunity in four tries this season in a three-run 10th inning that ended on a walk-off single by Astros pinch-hitter Robel García — who started the spring with the Angels before being claimed off waivers by the Astros in February.
“Everything was set up perfectly again, and we just didn’t finish it up,” Angels manager Joe Maddon said after his team dropped to 9-9 and lost a third-consecutive game for the first time this season.
Here are three observations from Friday.
Questionable calls
There were two close calls that went against the Angels on Friday.
The first came in the opening inning, when a potential early run for the Angels was negated by an interference call on Jared Walsh. Walsh had hit a swinging bunt in front of the mound. After Astros starter Zack Greinke fielded it, his throw hit Walsh in the back, allowing David Fletcher to score from third.
However, the home plate umpire ruled that Walsh wasn’t in the designated lane to the right of the foul line, wiping away the run.
A more consequential decision went against the Angels in the 10th. After they had taken a 4-2 lead on RBI singles from Fletcher (who finished the night with three hits) and Albert Pujols in the top half of the inning, Astros catcher Jason Castro hit a ground-rule double into right.
Several Angels argued the ball landed foul of the right-field line, but there wasn’t enough conclusive video to overturn the call.
It put runners on second and third, setting up Carlos Correa’s game-tying sacrifice fly and García’s eventual walk-off single.
Heaney dominates
There were elevated fastballs, looping breaking pitches and deceptive changeups. There were 10 strikeouts and only two hits. For 61⁄3 innings, there was nothing but dominance from Heaney on the mound.
And if not for Gurriel’s home run off Slegers, allowing the one baserunner Heaney left behind to score, the left-hander would have put nothing but zeros on the scoreboard too.
Alas, Heaney finished with one earned run on the night, taking a no-decision in his third straight start of at least five innings surrendering two or fewer runs.
After working around a two-out single in the first, Heaney got a roll. He retired 17 of his next 18 batters, including five straight strikeouts before giving up a double to Yordan Alvarez in the seventh.
Heaney, who threw 101 pitches, said he was slightly surprised he was pulled when Gurriel came up to the plate.
But he came away from the outing encouraged, especially by how he mixed his fastball (which accounted for seven of his strikeouts) with his other pitches.
“I was commanding all three pitches, keeping guys off base, felt good,” Heaney said, adding: “I just want to keep rolling with it. I feel good with where I’m at physically, mechanically, mentally.”
Trout scratched
Mike Trout was out of the Angels lineup because of a left elbow contusion he suffered being hit by a pitch the day before. The Angels said the center fielder is day to day. Friday was the first game the Trout has missed this season.
“Just with where we’re at today and the amount of soreness he had, we thought it was best for him to take the day,” Angels general manager Perry Minasian said.