Another strong start spoiled by an anemic offensive performance, culminating in the inevitable bullpen implosion. This time it was a pair of costly double plays from Albert Pujols and a second straight three-run outing from José Álvarez that did the Angels in, giving Jerry Dipoto and the Mariners an opening victory in the former’s first trip back to Anaheim.
The offense is now averaging an MLB-worst 2.88 runs per game, while the bullpen holds a collective 4.22 ERA. How is this team only three games under .500?
Run Expectancy Rundown
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1XcYmdm1Ks66z4tlxs5ynBo6yYXTzx2ox4P5-QbzAg54/pubchart” query=”oid=1976391661&format=interactive” width=”623″ height=”389″ /]C.J. Cron finally got ahold of one, raising his slugging percentage all the way to .232. More of that, please. Kole Calhoun also connected for a home run, but there was no one on (again) because Mike Scioscia refuses to bat him behind Yunel Escobar, who broke a 1-for-21 skid with two singles. Mike Trout reached base for the ninth straight game. Albert Pujols went 0-for-4 on the night and is now hitless in his last 23 at-bats.
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1XcYmdm1Ks66z4tlxs5ynBo6yYXTzx2ox4P5-QbzAg54/pubchart” query=”oid=1154832181&format=interactive” width=”620″ height=”341″ /]The Mariners got on the board right away, with four of the first five batters reaching base, but then cooled off for the next eight innings. The M’s scattered singles here and there, but never got another runner past first base until the 10th. Franklin Gutierrez (RBI single) and Nelson Cruz (2-run HR) delivered the death blows in the extra frame.
Starting Pitcher Scores
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1XcYmdm1Ks66z4tlxs5ynBo6yYXTzx2ox4P5-QbzAg54/pubchart” query=”oid=161400381&format=interactive” width=”584″ height=”293″ /]Nick Tropeano got off to a very rough start, allowed two runs and four baserunners in the first, but settled down nicely from there. He scattered two singles and two walks evenly over his final four-plus innings of work, leaving the game in the sixth with the score tied 2-2.
Hisashi Iwakuma kicked the Angels’ butts for what feels like the umpteenth time in the last several years. He didn’t flirt with a no-hitter this time, but he did go a full eight innings on just 89 pitches.
Bullpen Battle
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1XcYmdm1Ks66z4tlxs5ynBo6yYXTzx2ox4P5-QbzAg54/pubchart” query=”oid=1141913419&format=interactive” width=”620″ height=”315″ /]Things were going well for the Angels bullpen until José Álvarez took the hill in the 10th. I understand why Mike Scioscia would want to go with a southpaw against Seattle’s very lefty-heavy offense, but Álvarez really has no business pitching in such a high-leverage situation. Joel Peralta and Steve Cishek both worked spotless innings to close the game out for the M’s.
Game Flow
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1XcYmdm1Ks66z4tlxs5ynBo6yYXTzx2ox4P5-QbzAg54/pubchart” query=”oid=41272350&format=interactive” width=”619″ height=”315″ /]The Angels had four opportunities to jump ahead of Seattle after tying it in the fifth. Instead, they went 0-for-16 to close out the game.
Angel Antagonist
Stop trying to make José Álvarez work in high-leverage situations. It will not go well.
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