Rangers Lose To Angels
ARLINGTON, Texas — Mike Trout popped up after hitting sliding in head first with a leadoff triple in the ninth. Pounding his hands together, it was obvious what the moment meant to the last year’s MVP.
“It’s a big game,” Trout said. “We’re fighting.”
Trout scored the winning run in a 2-1 victory Friday night over the Texas Rangers, keeping the Los Angeles Angels’ playoff hopes alive.
The Angels (84-76) were one game back of Houston starting the day in the race for the second wild-card spot. Minnesota also began Friday tied with Los Angeles.
The regular season is down to two games.
“We can’t lose anymore,” Trout said.
The loss also kept the Rangers (87-73) from celebrating an American League West title before a sellout crowd of 47,219 at Globe Life Park. Texas, already assured of a spot in the postseason, came into the game needing one win or one Houston loss to clinch the division.
The Astros were at Arizona later Friday night.
“We’ve got two games left and we’re going to continue to play hard,” Texas manager
Jeff Banister said. “These guys have done a tremendous job of responding to situations like this. I felt like we played well. We had some opportunities with some baserunners, but we were able to only manage the one run.”
Los Angeles starter Jared Weaver, tied with Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan for second place on the Angels’ all-time win list, was solid before leaving without a decision. The veteran righty allowed only one run through six innings, leaving with the game tied.
Rangers starter Martin Perez was done after seven innings, having allowed four hits and one run while striking out four.
The bullpens for both squads held firm until Trout opened the ninth with a rope to right-center off Texas closer Shawn Tolleson, who was pitching for the fourth straight game.
“(Trout) did a good job of staying back and going the other way,” Tolleson said. “They asked me how I felt today and I told them I felt really good, and I did. I felt good out there. I felt like I had good stuff out there. Things just didn’t play out.”
Designated hitter Albert Pujols followed with a soft single to center to plate Trout, who had been 0-for-6 in the series to that point.
“We were quite for a while, got two big hits in the ninth,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said, “and you can’t say enough about our bullpen.”
Angels reliever Joe Smith, the AL leader with 32 holds this season, picked up his fourth save after a perfect ninth. Relievers Trevor Gott, Jose Alvarez and Mike Morin (4-2) also had scoreless outings for the Angels.
The Angels got to Perez in the first with three singles, including first baseman C.J. Cron’s hit to drive home shortstop Erick Aybar.
Rangers center fielder Delino DeShields walked to lead off the bottom of the inning and stole second. He attempted to steal third and was initially called safe but the Angels successfully challenged the call.
Los Angeles also won a challenge in the second on as Texas shortstop Elvis Andrus tried to beat out an infield single. The safe call was changed to out.
The Rangers tied the game at 1-1 on right fielder Shin-Soo Choo’s 22nd home run in the fourth, a solo shot off Weaver in the visitor’s bullpen in left-center.
Back-to-back errors by Aybar on routine ground balls allowed Andrus and second baseman Rougned Odor to reach with one out in the fifth. Both Rangers advanced on double steal, forcing the Angels to bring the infield in.
Weaver got out of the jam with a strikeout and fly ball.
“I was able to work out of some situations,” Weaver said.
