Aldegheri Digs the Hole, Natera Jr Buries Them, Angels Get Shelled on the Fourth
There are bad nights and then there are bad nights at the Big A. Saturday night at Angels Stadium, with fireworks waiting postgame and a holiday sell-out crowd packed in, the Angels got shelled. The Angels came in having dropped four straight, put the ball in the hands of Sam Algegheri against one of the hottest starters in baseball, Sonny Gray, and watched the whole thing come apart in two ugly innings – the 1st and the 5th. Other than a Josh Lowe solo home run in the bottom of the 2nd and another Jo Adell home run robbery in the top of the 1st, there weren’t many Halo highlights.
How It Unraveled
Sam Aldegheri set the tone early and not in a very good way. He walked two of the first three batters he faced in the top of the first. Willson Contreras made him pay immediately with a three-run home run, and just like that, 3-0 Red Sox before the Angels had even come to the plate. That’s the kind of opening frame that changes the entire complexion of a game. When your starter can’t get through a clean first inning against a lineup you already knew was dangerous, you’re asking everyone behind him to climb a wall all night.
To his credit, Aldegheri steadied after that. He gave up just one more hit over the next three innings, but the damage was done and the pitch count was climbing. Four walks in four innings is a recipe for trouble even when the ball isn’t leaving the yard. He came out after the fourth having thrown 88 pitches.
Then came the 5th, and Samy Natera Jr. When the top of the 5th was over, it was 7-1. Natera Jr. faced six batters, retired two, gave up three hits, walked one, and surrendered a home run. Four runs, 2 batters out, ERA on the evening: 54.00.
Chase Silseth, Ryan Zeferjahn and Brent Suter cleaned up the mess in relief with a combined 4.1 innings pitched, giving up another run, but by that point the Angels were just trying to get out of the holiday weekend with some dignity intact.
Sonny Gray Was Sonny Gray
The Angels knew the matchup going in. Sonny Gray came in 9-1 with a 2.69 ERA, hadn’t lost since April, and had just thrown 7.1 no-hit innings against the Yankees the week before. He delivered. Six full innings, 70 pitches, seven strikeouts, one run. He carved through this lineup with the kind of efficient, unhurried authority that makes him one of the best starters in the American League right now. Jovani Morán followed with a clean seventh, two more strikeouts, no hits. Greg Weissert pitched a clean 8th and Alec Gamboa finished the game in the 9th.
Angels Offense
Josh Lowe hit a solo home run in the 2nd, the Angels’ lone run, and the only moment the crowd had anything to cheer for the home team offensively.
Beyond that, this lineup was mostly invisible. Zach Neto 0-for-4 with 2 strikeouts as the leadoff batter. Nolan Schanuel went 0-for-4, Jorge Soler went 0-for-3 and Jo Adell 0-for-3 with a walk. The Angels went 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position and managed just four hits as a team while committing another error on defense.
The O’Hoppe Footnote
Logan O’Hoppe took a foul tip off his mask in the 3rd and didn’t come back. This is the third time in recent memory he’s been in the concussion protocol. He went on the concussion IL last September and was in the protocol again two months ago after a home plate collision. Tyler Heineman finished the game behind the plate. At some point this becomes a bigger story than just one night’s lineup card.
The Bottom Line
Five straight losses. The Angels got punched in the mouth in the first inning and never recovered. Aldegheri walked too many, Natera Jr. made it a laugher, and Gray made the offense look overmatched for six innings. The Red Sox have taken the first two games of this series. Sunday’s the rubber game, and the Angels need somebody — anybody — to show up and compete.
Jo Adell Home Run Robbery
Bremner got rocked. Only lasted 2 innings. Should we be concerned….?
What do you think ? Minasian picked him.
I don’t have access to see the game, so at least I won’t aggravate myself by flipping to it.
Me too.
Me three
Me fore
This is perfect. The Canadian Soccer Coach channeling Perry and Kurt.
Do these people even listen to what they are saying?
“I’d rather be watching the World Cup final from my couch instead of parading through Ottawa with my team and the trophy.”
Congrats, got your wish.
Since opening day 2016 through last night, the Angels have a won loss record of 758 – 935. And it’s getting worse.
…but it’s a safe environment that provides fun and entertainment for the entire family!
…and still a premiere destination for high end free agents.
Keep starting Donovan Walton, a 32 year old career nothing over our young guys. That’s the ticket to a rebuild.
Fulfilling Walton’s dream >>> focusing on CMo’s development
Moore isn’t that good.
He’s our 2024 1st round pick crushing AAA and imo has earned an extended look at the MLB level. Instead of letting him settle in at 2nd base, we threw him out in LF to embarrass himself before sending him back down.
This is another lost season and our infield should be Schanuel, Moore, Neto, Guzman. Peraza can get plenty of playing time as the utility man.
Totally agree. But what do you think of the pen? 😂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfuiB52K7X8
I’ve actually known two guys nicknamed Pineapple – both Hawaiians.
Peraza needs every day ABs.
I miss Pazuzu.
LOL, you grabbed the brass ring on that one.
As the Angels continue to dwindled further into being dregs of baseball, perhaps fewer than ten thousand people will show up per game. Particularly later next month, when high school and college football starts, schools are in session, out of town visitors are fewer. Perhaps people will stop financially supporting this sad sack of a franchise.
Net0-4. That is not the stat you want to see from your lead off hitter.
When I saw Neto come up – I was so excited. Finally a SS we could get behind for 10 plus years and who had Gold Glove potential. Last time I watched a pre-game he’s warming up throwing knuckle balls from a pitching wind up in pregame. That was a huge red flag. I get they want to have fun – but this is not getting game ready. I do think that lackadaisical attitude is hurting his play. Contrast that with a guy like Nolan Arenado’s legendary pregame, where he makes countless difficult throws pregame. One has 11 Gold Gloves – one has none. Neto’s engine is not what it was. Rest assured – while he will get paid, he’s leaving millions on the table when his contract comes up. Granted – he’ll buckle down as he gets closer to free agency – they all do – but this season is not a good sign. Truthfully, it’s questionable if he sticks at SS – which is such a shame.
Terry Smith, on the radio broadcast said the Angels look “flat”, a nice way of saying little energy. They need an ass kicking manager now, as well as some of the players being dfa’s, traded, sent down or any other way to say ciao, starting with Soler, Lowe and Adell. This is a thoroughly pathetic team.
And 124 k’s in 87 games he’s played this season. The prototype Angels lead off batter. And Soler batting clean up. Not exactly phi beta kappa management decisions.
Soler shouldn’t even be on the team.
The tank is facing fierce competition.
5 losses in a row — how low can we go?
There’s time.
Really impressive and thorough post game, considering the holiday. Well done!
Hopefully the suit in the dugout saw what we’ve been seeing.
I guess I should see what KC did. They are or were the team keeping out of 30th