In the aftermath of a tense 5-2 loss at the Houston Astros on Thursday, cooler heads prevailed in the Los Angeles Angels’ clubhouse.
Angels manager Phil Nevin was ejected in the top of the sixth inning by plate umpire Stu Scheurwater for arguing balls and strikes after Taylor Ward took a called third strike on a pitch that appeared to be low. Nevin later described Scheurwater as a quality umpire and noted the Angels’ 2-for-12 performance with runners in scoring position and 13 runners left on base.
“I don’t ever blame an umpire or a call (for the outcome of) a game,” Nevin said. “We had a lot of chances and we didn’t come through. We had a lot of baserunners. We made some mistakes that cost us.”
Right-hander Shohei Ohtani (5-1, 2.91 ERA) is the scheduled starter for the Angels on Friday. He leads the majors in opponent batting average (.155), ranks second in WHIP (0.95) and fourth in strikeouts (90).
Ohtani did not factor into the decision of his last start Saturday, an 8-5 loss to the Miami Marlins, after working six innings and allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits and three walks with 10 strikeouts.
Ohtani is 3-4 with a 3.51 ERA in 11 career starts against Houston. His lone loss of this season came against the Astros on May 9, when he allowed three runs on six hits and two walks with seven strikeouts over seven innings.
Left-hander Framber Valdez (5-4, 2.38 ERA) has the starting assignment for the Astros on Friday. He earned the 6-3 victory in his second consecutive start against the Oakland Athletics on Saturday, allowing one run on four hits and three walks with five strikeouts over six innings. Valdez has surrendered one run or fewer in three of his last four starts, all victories.
Valdez is 8-4 with a 3.73 ERA over 16 career appearances (12 starts) — his most against any opponent — against the Angels. In his previous start against the Angels, on May 9, Valdez allowed one run on three hits with a season-high 12 strikeouts in eight innings in a 3-1 road win.
One day after Mike Trout and Ohtani combined to club three home runs with six RBIs, Houston pitching limited the Angels’ dynamic duo to a 1-for-8 showing with two walks and two strikeouts. Trout and Ohtani both stranded two runners in scoring position with two outs, making for some tense moments with the outcome hanging in the balance.
Astros starter Ronel Blanco struck out Ohtani with the bases loaded to limit the damage to one run in the second. With the bases full and two outs and the Astros leading by two runs in the sixth, Houston reliever Hector Neris got Trout to hit a soft line drive to shortstop Jeremy Pena.
Representing the tying run, Trout hit a fly ball to center field as the final out of the eighth against Rafael Montero. Ohtani struck out to open the ninth inning against Houston closer Ryan Pressly.
“I tell you, you’d better leave those two guys alone,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “We’ve got three more games to battle against them and they’re always dangerous. They can pop one any minute, so I feel fortunate that we got them out.”
–Field Level Media
