NEW YORK — The Angels had to settle for a very good series in the Bronx instead of a historic one.
With a chance to complete their first four-game sweep of the New York Yankees, the Angels lost 7-3 in the series finale on Thursday afternoon.
After winning the first three games in New York, the Angels (36-38) could still feel relatively good about themselves because of the way they bounced back from losing all three games over the weekend in Baltimore.
“It would have been great to get this sweep today, but it was good to just win the first three here,” left-hander Tyler Anderson said. “Made the road trip better after Baltimore. Ready to go back home.”
On Thursday, they didn’t pitch or hit well enough to complete the sweep.
The only runs the Angels managed were solo homers by Mike Trout, Jo Adell and Taylor Ward. The Angels had only two other hits. That’s been a pattern for the Angels, who rank third in the majors in homers, but 21st in runs and 28th in batting average.
Manager Ron Washington’s explanation for the relative lack of offense on this day was simple. They were facing Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodon, who is one of the best pitchers in baseball.
“I was really surprised we were able to get the (three) that we got off of him,” Washington said. “We worked him. He was out of there about time the sixth inning ended.”
Rodon and Anderson each pitched six innings, but Rodon gave up three runs and Anderson gave up four. Three of the four runs Anderson allowed came in the second inning.
With two outs and the bases empty in the second, Anderson gave up a single to DJ LeMahieu. He then tried to get a first-pitch fastball over the inside corner to Trent Grisham, but instead left it over the heart of the plate. Grisham hit a two-run homer, putting the Yankees up, 3-2.
“I tried to go backdoor two-seam to Grisham there, because he just didn’t swing at very much,” Anderson said. “It was a chance to try something I don’t really try and see how it worked out. And it didn’t work out very well. Kind of a stupid pitch and terrible location.”
Two pitches later, Anderson threw Paul Goldschmidt a fastball up and over the middle, and he yanked it inside the left-field pole for a homer.
After that, Anderson gave up three singles and a walk in the final four innings, without allowing another run.
The performance still counted as progress for Anderson, who had not gotten through six innings in any of his previous three starts.
“I feel like I pitched overall better,” Anderson said. “A couple of bad pitches you wish you had back, but overall I felt like it was a lot better execution, just in terms of me being more myself.”
Right-hander Sam Bachman gave up a run in the seventh, putting the Angels in a 5-3 hole. The Yankees tacked on two more runs in the eighth, both charged to Hector Neris. The inning began with Aaron Judge doubling after he appeared to strike out. Plate ump Roberto Ortiz ruled that Judge got a piece of the two-strike pitch.
Shortly after the call, as the grounds crew was putting the tarp on the field, Angels pitching coach Barry Enright had an animated conversation with Ortiz and the other umpires.
Washington said that was the culmination of a day in which Enright and the Angels were frustrated with Ortiz.
“It was the calls that the home plate umpire was making,” Washington said. “When they had that rain delay, he just got it off his chest.”
Despite Judge’s double, the Angels did a good job containing the two-time American League MVP throughout their seven-game season series. Judge finishes the season 4 for 22 with nine strikeouts against the Angels.
Meanwhile, the Angels’ three-time AL MVP – Trout – went 6 for 15 with a homer and three walks in the series. Trout is hitting .324 with three homers and an .884 OPS in 19 games since coming off the injured list.
Although he said he’s still a little too “achy” to play in the outfield, he’s satisfied with the production at the plate.
“It’s been good,” Trout said. “Getting good results and having good at-bats. Barreling some balls.”