Angels Streak Ends With 3-0 Loss To Orioles
BALTIMORE (AP) — Because of their inability to get a clutch hit, the Los Angeles Angels wasted a solid pitching performance by Garrett Richards and their five-game winning streak came to an end.
Making his major league debut, Orioles right-hander Mike Wright won a duel with Richards as Baltimore squeezed out a 3-0 victory Sunday.
The key moment of the game for the Angels came in the fourth inning. Carlos Calhoun led off with a single and took third on a one-out double by Albert Pujols before Erick Aybar hit a grounder to third that erased Calhoun in a rundown. Johnny Giavotella then struck out.
That would be the last time Los Angeles got a runner past first base until the ninth.
"Right now every situation becomes magnified because we're not swinging the bats to our capabilities," manager Mike Scioscia said.
The Orioles scored in their half of the fourth, and that would be enough to enable Baltimore to salvage the finale of the three-game set.
"When we execute we've done a good job holding leads," Scioscia said. "Today on the offensive side we didn't' execute and didn't get at least one run in there that could have changed the complexion of the game."
Wright (1-0) allowed four hits over 7 1-3 innings, striking out six and walking none.
Selected in the third round of the 2011 amateur draft, the 6-foot-6 Wright was clocked at 98 mph on a fastball that produced his first major league strikeout, a swing-and-a-miss by Mike Trout.
Wright allowed an eighth-inning single to Matt Joyce before being removed by manager Buck Showalter after throwing 90 pitches.
A standing ovation from the crowd of 41,733 followed.
"I tried to, you know, like look up and see what was going on so I could make sure I remember that forever," the 25-year-old Wright said.
Brad Brach struck out the last two batters in the eighth, and Zach Britton worked the ninth for his eighth save.
Richards (3-2) gave up two runs and five hits in 7 2-3 innings.
"Garrett pitched his heart out," Scioscia said. "It was really humid out there."
Adam Jones scored on a wild pitch in the fourth inning and added a two-run double in the eighth to help Baltimore improve to 1-12 when scoring fewer than four runs.
Wright started 91 games over five minor league seasons before joining the Orioles on Wednesday for depth in the bullpen. But after starter Chris Tillman developed back spasms, the Orioles called upon Wright to fill the void.
"He was just basically on top of the fastball and we couldn't square it up," Angels second baseman Johnny Giavotella said. "He was coming at us. You have to tip your hat off to him."
Baltimore went up 1-0 in the fourth when Jones reached on an infield hit and scored with two outs when Richards bounced a curveball that got past catcher Carlos Perez.
Jones made it 3-0 in the eighth with a two-out double off Mike Morin, ending a run of 18 scoreless innings by the Los Angeles bullpen.
CHAMP IN THE HOUSE
World Wrestling Entertainment heavyweight champion Seth Rollins threw out the ceremonial first pitch, a floater to Jones, a huge wrestling fan.
"Luckily, it's a warm humid day here in Baltimore so that should help with elasticity of my shoulder," Rollins said beforehand. "I'll get it there."
Rollins was in town for a WWE pay-per-view event.
"I'm opening here and I'm main-evening tonight, so it's kind of a full circle sort of day here in Baltimore," he said.
To extend the theme, the music that various wrestlers use to enter the ring was played as each Oriole headed to the plate.
TRAINERS ROOM
Angels: RHP Cory Rasmus (left core muscle) is moving toward throwing off a mound as he recovers from surgery in March. Right now he's long-tossing as he strives to leave the 60-day DL.
Orioles: Tillman's back spasms have lessened, but Miguel Gonzalez will start Tuesday against Seattle. RHP Bud Norris (bronchitis), who was scratched from his scheduled start Saturday, was available in the bullpen Sunday.
ON DECK
Angels: Los Angeles opens a four-game series in Toronto on Monday with LHP C.J. Wilson (2-2, 2.63 ERA) on the mound. Wilson has a 1.25 ERA in his three road starts.
Orioles: Baltimore gets a day off before Nelson Cruz makes his return with the Mariners on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game set.
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