Monday night’s performance by the Angels hitters was encouraging, but not enough to end their losing run.
The Angels (9-14) were shut out by the Orioles on Sunday in Cincinnati, and their only run came from Jo Adell’s home run in the seventh game, when they were already behind by four runs.
They were down two runs after an RBI single by Nolan Schanuel, and they attempted a strong comeback in the ninth but were unsuccessful.
With one out against Orioles closer Craig Kimbrel, the Angels loaded the bases, but Schanuel grounded out. At that point, Mike Trout was called out on strikes. With Trout at bat and the bases loaded, it was the second time this season that a ninth-inning comeback attempt failed, the other being the game at Boston on April 14.
The Angels have hit.211 and scored seven runs during the current losing streak.
Two of the few Angels players who had been on fire for the majority of the first three weeks, Trout and Taylor Ward, have recently become chilly. During the losing run, Ward is 2 for 17 and Trout is 1 for 18.
After Trout drew a walk in the first inning on Monday, Ward and Miguel Sanó were unable to move him even an inch. Zach Neto was at second base in the third inning when Trout and Ward came up to bat, but neither player was able to drive him in.
The sixth inning served as a fitting example of the Angels’ ineptitude.
Trout drew a walk to start. Trout was put in motion by the Angels as Ward worked a full count. Right-hander Albert Suarez was then given a 3-and-2 pitch by Ward, which he smacked back. After grabbing it, he flipped it carelessly to first for a double play.
Following Schanuel’s single in the seventh, Trout had another chance. When he grounded out, he stood in for the tying run.
It was a difficult night for the batters, but starter Reid Detmers did enough to last seven innings while giving up just four runs.
In the second, third, fifth, and seventh innings, the Orioles hit him for single runs
