Nobody seriously expected the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to go 162-0, there are going to be losses this season.
But, at least at the start of the season, the expectation was it will be the pitching that lets them down, not the bats. That was not the case Tuesday night, when the Angels left 14 men stranded over the course of the night and fell to the Oakland Athletic 6-4. Both teams are now 1-1 on the young season.
The Angels put Dustin Moseley out on the mound, the first of fill-in starters that make up a battered Angels starting rotation. He pitched a solid game, even if he had to work hard to get himself out of a couple of jams because he gave up nine hits. What mattered to the large crowd in attendance is that he kept those base runners from getting home -- he gave up three runs in six innings of work.
The Angels had plenty of chances to give Moseley support, but were unable to capitalize.
In the first inning, the Angels loaded the bases but Juan Rivera flied to center field for the final out of the inning. In the third, Rivera had a chance to redeem himself when he came to the plate with runners at second and third, but again he grounded out. In the fourth inning it was Bobby Abreu’s turn to ground out with two men on to end an inning.
The Angels did push across three runs and tied the game in the fifth inning, but reliever Kevin Jepsen could not hold the lead for long.
The Angels did make a go of it in the ninth. Chone Figgins singled, stole second and scored on Abreu's single. Then Oakland closer Brad Ziegler struck out Vladimir Guerrero and Torii Hunter with his 70 mph slider that both hitters got out in front of.
Losses are a part of baseball, but the Angels cannot afford to waste a lot of early season chances when they get good pitching from temp workers. Tonight was one of those chances.
