Angels 3, Dodgers 2: Clutch Loss Preserves Record Against .500+ Teams

The Dodgers came up clutch by losing a key game today against the Angels, 3-2, thus preserving the Angels record as a team with a .500+ record and ensuring that the Dodgers 5-1 performance against them this year counted for something in the end. After all, that is about the only thing that matters here, as I’ve been informed many times over the last three months or so.

—–

Joe Wieland made the emergency start for Mat Latos, who was scratched with neck stiffness, and Wieland did an admirable job. Despite having a 4.59 ERA in AAA this year and throwing batting practice for the Brewers in a start earlier this year, Wieland threw 72 pitches over four innings of two-run ball, keeping the Dodgers in the game and making it competitive.

Offensively, Scott Schebler drilled the first pitch from Garrett Richards over the center field fence for lead-off homers for the Dodgers in back-to-back games after Justin Ruggiano did it yesterday.

Richards was dominant after that, but ran into trouble in the eighth, being knocked out of the game on a Chase Utley double down the left-field line, which tied the game at 2-2.

Still, Richards generally owned the night with his fastball working 94-96 mph and his curve sharp, striking out 11 and allowing just four hits over 7.2 innings.

In relief of Wieland, the Dodgers bullpen performed admirably over their four innings of work, as Yimi Garcia threw two perfect scoreless innings, and Jim Johnson followed with one of his own.

https://twitter.com/ChadMoriyama/status/641827284765286400

Of course, after the Dodgers tied it things got a bit ugly. Luis Avilan allowed a lead-off probable double to Kole Calhoun, but we’ll never know if it might’ve been close or not because Andre Ethier booted it into the corner and Calhoun took third instead. Pedro Baez then entered and struck out Mike Trout somehow, but he couldn’t get out of it before Albert Pujols grounded a single up the middle to take a 3-2 lead.

Angels closer Huston Street then entered and, well, closed the game.

Nice overall loss for the Dodgers!

—–

As a result of Latos missing his start, Alex Wood will now start on Friday against the Diamondbacks, and Mike Bolsinger will follow him on Saturday. Brett Anderson‘s start will be pushed back to next week Tuesday at home against the Rockies, giving him additional time off after he suffered from calf cramps in his last start.

Oh yeah, a Zack Godley (???) helped the D-Backs beat the Giants, so the lead in the NL West is still 8.5 games.