Angels Blow Another Late Lead In 4-3 Loss To Washington

The Los Angeles Angels saw their brief two-game winning “streak” snapped tonight in the opening game of their three-game series against the Washington Nationals as they blew a late lead to lose, 4-3, when the Nats found a way to rally for three in the eighth off reliever Samy Natera Jr. 

The Angels scored first on a solo Mike Trout homer in the first, as he hit his 21st off Nationals starter Cade Cavalli. Yusei Kikuchi didn’t have great command in this one, but he was able to hold off Washington until the fourth, when the Nats broke through on a pair of walks to Harry Ford and Jorbit Vivas, followed by a single from James Wood to tie the game at 1-1. 

The score stayed that way until the seventh, with Kikuchi leaving after four as he gave up just the one run on three hits and four walks to go with five strikeouts. 

Cavalli lasted into the seventh, and that was when the Angels managed to grab the lead. The rally started when Cavalli walked the first two hitters, and Christian Moore singled home a run to give the Halos a 2-1 lead. 

It didn’t last, unfortunately. Middle relievers Luke Murphy, Jose Fermin and Ryan Watson all pitched scoreless innings, but Samy Natera Jr. had a rough go in the eighth. 

Brady house started the Washington rally with a walk, and CJ Abrams and Dylan Crews followed with a pair of singles, with Crews’ coming on a bunt. Natera then got a forceout at home, but Andrew Pinckney hit a sacrifice fly to score a run and tie the game back up at 2-2. 

But the Nats weren’t done yet. A double by Vivas scored two more runs to make it 4-2, and suddenly the Angels were on the ropes after having the lead. Erik Tolman came on in relief to close it out, and it looked like the game was over. 

The Angels did make it interesting, though. Tolman walked Oswald Peraza with two outs, and Christian Moore almost hit a home run to tie the game, but the ball hit high off the wall in right and wound up being a double instead. Tolman was able to get pinch-hitter Kyren Paris to pop up to left, though, and that was it for the Angels. 

It was yet another agonizing loss for the Halos in a season that’s been full of them, and it’s gotten to the point where we expect the Angels to find ways to lose games like this. They’ll get another shot tomorrow, with Walbert Urena going up against Andrew Alvarez.