Tonight will always be remembered in the baseball world for the passing of Willie Mays. The world was better with him in it and the baseball world is grieving.
Baseball, however, marches forward and the Angels hosted the Milwaukee Brewers in the middle of a two game set.
Griffin Canning got the start for the Angels and continued to struggle in the first inning. Tonight it was a solo home run to Christian Yellich. This was Yellich’s 200th career home run and the staggering 7th first run longball served up by Canning this season.
Getting a mistake fastball crushed by a former MVP is excusable. Severely misplaying a ball to allow a Little League home run, however, is not. But that’s what Jo Adell did to break the game open in the 4th.
As you can see in Brent’s post it was an ugly night for the Angels on multiple fronts. Jo just managed to outdo all of the other mistakes; such as Canning allowing a run to score on a wild pitch.
Lately the Angels offense has been feast or famine and nary a crumb was to be found tonight. Several Angels are in the midst of brutal slumps which continued tonight. Taylor Ward, Willie Calhoun, Mickey Moniak, and Jo Adell were a combined 0 for 13 with 6 K’s through 8 innings and the Angels had no runs on the board.
The offense did spark to life in the 9th. O’Hoppe led the inning off with a double and Moniak added another. Nolan Schanuel laced his third hit of the night (to go along with a walk) and the deficit was cut to 6-3.
Taylor Ward came to the plate representing the tying run and smashed a ball to right center. A great defensive play robbed Ward of the a game tying home run.
It was brutal.
In a season where we want to see the kids sink or swim we saw both. The big night from Schanuel and two hit night by Zach Neto were the good news. Jo Adell looking lost on both sides of the ball and Moniak striking out twice were the bad news.
Rubber match tomorrow at the Big A. Join us for the gamethread.
Jake Lamb is available-Bring lamb back into the fold.
Nice fight until the end. Wild pitches, spotty defense make it hard to win, but Ward drove the ball over the fence and unfortunately into a glove.
Nice game excepting the gifting of runs to the opposition of course.
Let’s take the series tonight.
Man. Willie was at the end of his career when I just got interested. I remember the 73 Mets with him on it. I have a 73 Topps card that I scratched out the NY Mets and wrote Ca Angels severely reducing the value.
One of those games where you just tip your cap to the other team. Ward did all he could on that last swing, Frelick just made the better play.
Oh well, still a chance for a series win tomorrow.
R.I.P. #24. Willie, Mickey, and the Duke.
Wow Nolan Schanuel is on 🔥
Yeah he is.
One more foot….
RIP Willie 🙏
Roansy Contreras looks pretty decent and that near comeback was awesome. What a sick catch by their CF.
Fun game, heartbreaking ending. Let’s take the series tmrw