Angels Still Can’t Hit Or Score As Dodgers Go With An Opener To Get A 6-0 Shutout

The Los Angeles Angels opened their Freeway Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers by losing 6-0, as the Dodgers used an opener to start the shutout after learning that starter Blake Snell would be going on the IL due to loose bodies in his elbow. 

The Angels have had an abundance of poor offensive performances lately, and this one fit right in. Will Klein took the ball as the opener, and he proceeded to shut the Angels down for the first two innings, with seven relievers following him and doing the same. Edgardo Henriquez got the win for the Dodgers after pitching a scoreless third. 

The Halos couldn’t get a runner past second as they struck out 11 times and got just two hits as Zach Neto and Josh Lowe both singled. 

Jack Kochanowicz matched zeros with the Dodger reliever parade for the first three innings, but his second time through the lineup didn’t go well. He fell apart in the fourth after a single and a walk led to a three-run homer by Andy Pages, and Max Muncy followed with a solo shot to make it 4-0. 

That was basically the game, but Kochanowicz managed to make it into the sixth, when a Muncy single and a two-run homer by Teoscar Hernandez upped the count to 6-0 and put this one away for the Dodgers. The Angels did get scoreless innings from Kirby Yates, Ryan Johnson and Brent Suter, so at least the bullpen didn’t blow up. 

The Angels also got some bad news on teh injury front as catcher Logan O’Hoppe couldn’t sustain his comeback from a fractured wrist. The injury was believed to be mild at first, so the Angels rushed him back after a short rehab assignment, but last night O’Hoppe had to leave the game in the sixth after re-injuring himself on a wild pitch from Kochanowicz. 

The new version of the injury was described as mild irritation that will make the catcher day-to-day, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see O’Hoppe go back on the IL, as there’s no reason to keep playing him given where the Halos are in the standings right now. 

The lone positive piece came with the news that right-hander Grayson Rodriguez will finally make his first start of the season, so it will be interesting to see how he fares against one of the best lineups in baseball. The Angels will go with ace Jose Siriano against Justin Wrobleski for the Dodgers tonight.