Angels' Biggest Offseason Addition Bidding For Third Straight Win Over Rockies

The Los Angeles Angels squandered an early 5-2 lead and gave up six runs in the final two innings to lose its series opener to the Colorado Rockies 9-8 Monday night.

The Angels are now in a three-way tie with the Rockies and Detroit Tigers for worst record in Major League Baseball at 23-38.

Los Angeles just hasn’t been able to put all three phases together at the same time consistently; when the offense is good, the pitching is bad. When the pitching is good, the offense can’t hit. Defensively, the team has been middle of the pack in terms of errors and fielding percentage, so it could be worse, but it could also be a lot better.

After the Angels put up a five-spot in the third inning to go up 5-2, Colorado matched it with one of its own in the eighth inning to put the Rockies up 8-6. Angels designated hitter Jorge Soler hit a two-run triple in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game, but righty reliever Kirby Yates couldn’t keep the Rockies off the board in the ninth.

Ace right-hander José Soriano couldn’t find the strike zone and walked seven batters in 4.2 innings. He allowed just two runs on three hits with seven strikeouts, but it was certainly one Soriano would like to forget.

Rockies lefty Kyle Freeland lasted 5.2 innings and surrendered five runs on seven hits and one walk while punching out four.

The Angels look to even the series with right-hander Grayson Rodriguez, the team’s biggest offseason acquisition. Rodriguez was acquired in a trade that sent power-hitting left fielder Taylor Ward to the Baltimore Orioles during the winter but has only made three starts due to injuries.

His first start was rough, as Rodriguez allowed seven runs on seven hits and four walks with four strikeouts against the Los Angeles Dodgers (shocker). The righty’s second start was better but still not what Rodriguez was hoping for despite earning his first win in two years: 5.2 innings, four runs, seven hits, two walks, five strikeouts.

But Rodriguez looked like the guy the Halos were hoping it would get when he was brought in during his last outing against the Tigers. He threw five innings of one-run ball on two hits and two walks while fanning five to earn his second consecutive win.

The 26-year-old will go for his third win in a row against Rockies right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano. Sugano is 4-4 with a 4.01 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 31 strikeouts through 11 starts (58.1 innings). The 36-year-old last worked against the Dodgers and allowed three runs on six hits and a walk while striking out three in 4.2 innings.

First pitch is at 6:38 p.m. PDT on MLB.TV and regional sports networks.