OC Register: Angels avoid disaster by clinging to victory over the White Sox

[AngelsWin.com]

CHICAGO — A nearly flawless game for the Angels nearly turned into a nightmare on Sunday.

Michael Lorenzen took a shutout and a six-run lead into the ninth inning, but the Angels had to hold for dear life in a 6-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

Three of the runs were charged to Lorenzen and two to closer Raisel Iglesias before Ryan Tepera ended it by getting Gavin Sheets on a groundout, leaving the bases loaded.

All of that happened just after Shohei Ohtani was pulled from the game in the top of the ninth because of right groin tightness.

Ohtani bounced into a double play in the seventh and did not appear to be running full speed down the line. There was no immediate detail on whether he will miss any time with the injury.

The drama in the ninth cast a shadow over what should have been an unmitigated celebration of Lorenzen.

Lorenzen was two outs from the Angels’ first individual shutout in nearly four years. He ended up pitching 8-1/3 innings, just after throwing six scoreless innings in his previous start. Lorenzen now has a 3.04 ERA in his first four starts with the Angels.

The leader on the offensive side was Trout, who hit his sixth homer of the season in the first inning. He set up another two-run rally with a double in the third, and he also walked three times.

After missing most of last season with a strained calf, Trout has started this season performing as well as at any time in a career that has included three MVP awards. He’s hitting .344 with a 1.247 OPS.

While no one should be surprised by Trout, few would have expected Lorenzen to do what he’s done. He had been a reliever for most of his career with the Cincinnati Reds.

On Sunday, Lorenzen sliced through the White Sox lineup effectively and efficiently, needing just 91 pitches to get through eight innings.

He took the mound with a shot to finish the Angels first individual shutout since Andrew Heaney in June 2018, but he allowed a pair of runs on three hits. Manager Joe Maddon then pulled him after his 100th pitch — the first Angels pitcher to reach that threshold this year.

Lorenzen had a lead before throwing his first pitch because of Trout’s homer.

In the third, Trout doubled after a leadoff single by Taylor Ward. Ward had two infield singles and a walk, continuing his hot start. Ohtani and Anthony Rendon each made productive outs to drive in Ward and Trout.

In the fourth, the Angels used walks to Jared Walsh and David Fletcher to set up a run. No. 9 hitter Andrew Velazquez doubled off the glove of left fielder A.J. Pollock, driving in a run.

The Angels scored two insurance runs, which proved to be vital, in the top of the ninth. Jack Mayfield, hitting for Ohtani, singled home a run. Jo Adell drove in another with a double.

More to come on this story.

Related Articles

• Los Angeles Angels |
  Angels send down struggling starter José Suarez
• Los Angeles Angels |
  José Suarez struggles as Angels’ winning streak ends
• Los Angeles Angels |
  Angels’ Jo Adell playing less due to string of right-handed pitchers
• Los Angeles Angels |
  Angels use bullpen game to beat White Sox for 6th straight win
• Los Angeles Angels |
  Noah Syndergaard is latest Angels player to be scratched because of illness

View the full article

[WicketMaiden]

Iglesias is awful in non-save situations. Brilliant closer, but simply awful when he goes out to the mound without that extra pressure. He had that reputation before he came to the Angels, and we confirmed that last year, but hey, let's throw him out there in a non-save situation to see if things have changed? Seems a bit silly to me.

[Slegnaac]

5 hours ago, WicketMaiden said:

Iglesias is awful in non-save situations. Brilliant closer, but simply awful when he goes out to the mound without that extra pressure. He had that reputation before he came to the Angels, and we confirmed that last year, but hey, let's throw him out there in a non-save situation to see if things have changed? Seems a bit silly to me.

Not 100% true.

April 20 and 23, Iglesias pitched clean 9th inning in non-save situation.

[Angel Oracle]

It comes down to two basic things that Maddon seemingly didn’t want to acknowledge.

When a converted relief pitcher has thrown 91 pitches early in the season, and then has to sit in a cold dugout for some 20-25 min, his stuff is not going to be there.   Maddon should have had someone warming up half way through the top of the 9th.

Marsh subbing for Adell in the bottom of the 9th should have been an automatic.   Marsh makes that play that Adell can’t, and the game ends without the nail biting.

 

Edited May 3, 2022 by Angel Oracle

[Jeff Fletcher]

8 hours ago, Angel Oracle said:

It comes down to two basic things that Maddon seemingly didn’t want to acknowledge.

When a converted pitcher has thrown 91 pitches early in the season, and then has to sit in a cold dugout for some 20-25 min, his stuff is not going to be there.   Maddon should have had someone warming up half way through the top of the 9th.

Marsh subbing for Adell in the bottom of the 9th should have been an automatic.   Marsh makes that play that Adell can’t, and the game ends without the nail biting.

 

You know everyone would have exploded if he didn’t let a guy with 8 scoreless innings and 91 pitches come out for the ninth. 
 

[Angel Oracle]

32 minutes ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

You know everyone would have exploded if he didn’t let a guy with 8 scoreless innings and 91 pitches come out for the ninth. 
 

Except that I thought the normal thing with sitting for long half innings late in the game, especially in the cold, was to take a pitcher out as their stuff is affected.

Edited May 3, 2022 by Angel Oracle

[Jeff Fletcher]

58 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

Except that I thought the normal thing with sitting for long half innings late in the game, especially in the cold, was to take a pitcher out as their stuff is affected.

I don’t know if the cold was an issue. The clubhouse is 40 feet behind the dugout so he could pop back in to warm up. 

[BTH]

3 hours ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

You know everyone would have exploded if he didn’t let a guy with 8 scoreless innings and 91 pitches come out for the ninth. 

I'll take fan outrage and a day off for Iglesias and Tepera over watching the near-disaster that was that 9th inning.

[Lou]

How things have changed. 

People are now complaining about almost losing.

[arch stanton]

Blame it on the offense for adding the insurance runs. If's it's just a 3 run lead Iglesias starts the 9th and there's not much to talk about

[T.G.]

10 hours ago, Lou said:

How things have changed. 

People are now complaining about almost losing.

Have they changed?

[PattyD22]

11 hours ago, Lou said:

How things have changed. 

People are now complaining about almost losing.

I can’t remember the term you used @Lou

Did you call it a “winning loss” or a “losing win?”  Either way, kind of funny.

[Lou]

3 minutes ago, PattyD22 said:

I can’t remember the term you used @Lou

Did you call it a “winning loss” or a “losing win?”  Either way, kind of funny.

.

.

On 5/1/2022 at 2:56 PM, Lou said:

Especially after a winning loss. 

 

[PattyD22]

Thats the one.