We started this one with Tyler Anderson versus Cy Rookie aka Logan Allen.
The Angels didn’t really do much in the first two innings while the Guardians scored one in each of the first two on sacrifice flies. The Angels got onto the board in the fourth inning. Anthony Rendon doubled and Brandon Drury singled to make in 2-1 Guardians.
Gio Urshela then doubled scoring Brandon Drury on a play at the plate that the Angels had to challenge.
Matt Thaiss walked and Zach Neto singled to score Gio Urshela.
In the fifth inning, the Angels loaded the bases with no outs and failed to score. The Guardians worked a walk, a single, a fly ball out, and a force out to produce a run. 3-3 tie. In the seventh inning both Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani drew walks with no outs and the Angels failed to score either of them. The Guardians also didn’t score.
In the eighth inning Matt Thaiss singled and Zach Neto doubled. The third base coach had some kind of mental vapor lock and Matt Thaiss was waved around. He was a dead duck at the plate. Here is the lowlight for your post mortem examination.
Taylor Ward made the third out. It was still 3-3. Well, at least it was 3-3 until Matt Moore coughed up a solo homer to Josh Naylor. 4-3 Guardians. He then gave Andres Gimenez a triple. He did manage to finish the inning with no further scoring.
In the top of the ninth inning Mike Trout doubled on a 101 MPH cut fastball. I guess he’s not done yet.
Shohei Ohtani struck out on a slider. Anthony Rendon hit a base hit advancing Trout to third. Hunter Renfroe hit a ball to the second baseman who threw wide to home allowing Mike Trout to score one to tie it up. There were men at first and third with one out. Brandon Drury hit a sacrifice fly to score pinch runner Brett Phillips from third. 5-4 Angels.
So yeah. The Angels won this one 5-4. Light that baby up!
Photo credit: Rex Fregosi