The Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Angels wrapped up a three-game series from Angels Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Both teams entered the contest looking for a series win with Los Angeles winning the opener and Pittsburgh answering on Saturday night. Today the Angels would use a four run fifth inning to take a commanding lead and then hold on for a 7-5 victory.
The Pirates jumped on the board in the first inning when Bryan Reynolds hit a solo home run to center. Los Angeles answered with a solo home run to center in the bottom of the inning from Shohei Ohtani. An Eduardo Escobar RBI double gave the Angels the lead in the second. Back-to-back solo home runs from Andrew Velazquez and Luis Rengifo in the fifth, along with an RBI single by Taylor Ward and sac fly from Matt Thaiss, gave Los Angeles a lead they would not relinquish.
Rengifo added an insurance run in the sixth, before Pittsburgh attempted a rally in the seventh. Liover Peguero hit an RBI double to right for the first run of the inning. Peguero would later come in to score from third on fielding error by Los Angeles pitcher Jacob Webb who could not handle a throw from catcher Thaiss. The final two runs of the game scored on a Carlos Santana double to left center.
Mitch Keller has not been as strong as of late and today was no different. He would pitch five innings, allowing six runs on nine hits with seven strikeouts and one walk. Angel Perdomo worked 1.1 innings, giving up one run on one hit with two strikeouts. Dauri Moreta struck out one during .2 innings on the mound before handing the ball over to Colin Holderman. Holderman would strikeout the side in the eighth.
Tyler Anderson worked six innings for the Angels, allowing four runs on eight hits with five strikeouts and one walk. Webb allowed the one run on one hit, with two strikeouts and one walk during the seventh. Matt Moore struck out one and allowed a hit in the eighth, before Carlos Estevez collected his 23rd save of the season after walking and striking out one batter in the ninth.
Each team collected ten hits today with Reynolds and Santana each having a pair for the Pirates. The loss today marks the sixth straight series loss for Pittsburgh. The good news is the team they last won a series against, and swept, the San Diego Padres are next on the schedule with a three-game series beginning on Monday night from Petco Park. Quinn Priester is scheduled to start for the Pirates, while San Diego will throw Yu Darvish.
Record vs. Angels: 1-2
Record vs. American League: 13-22
Record on the Road: 20-29
Overall Record: 43-56
And…
As Always…
Let’s Go Bucs!
