ANAHEIM — Fans who came to Angel Stadium this weekend hoping to see the high-scoring team that blitzed through an eight-game winning streak were disappointed.
After the Angels extended their streak with a victory in the series opener, the hitters barely made a peep in a 3-0 loss to the Miami Marlins on Sunday afternoon.
The Angels (25-27) averaged 7.6 runs during their eight-game winning streak, including 23 runs during an unlikely three-game sweep at Dodger Stadium a week earlier.
Seven days later, it was a much different story. After Friday’s victory, the Angels scored two runs on Saturday before the shutout on Sunday.
“I knew we weren’t going to keep doing what we did, but I thought we would be consistent throughout the lineup and making something happen,” Manager Ron Washington said. “But that pitching they threw at us the past couple days, thought otherwise.”
On Sunday, Marlins starter Edward Cabrera dominated them for 5⅔ innings.
“He was really good today,” Washington said. “He was able to spot his fastball, and he had a good breaking ball. Quick. And it was hard to really recognize it. And he got us to swing at it out of the strike zone. We didn’t muster up anything today.”
Cabrera had no trouble till he issued back-to-back two-out walks in the sixth. Reliever Anthony Bender then struck out Taylor Ward — the Angels’ hottest hitter — to strand the runners.
Ward went hitless, snapping his team record 10-game streak with at least one extra base hit.
“Just grateful for the opportunity I had,” Ward said. “Hopefully start a new one tomorrow.”
The Angels managed only three hits, and they struck out 15 times. They had only three at-bats with a runner in scoring position.
The lineup was shorthanded because Washington chose to give both shortstop Zach Neto and catcher Logan O’Hoppe the day off on Sunday. Washington said before the game that he thought Neto looked tired, after playing all 33 games since he was activated from the injured list. It was not unusual for O’Hoppe to be off for a day game after he caught the night before.
Both players pinch-hit in the eighth inning. Neither reached base.
Angels starter Kyle Hendricks delivered the minimum quality start, allowing three runs in six innings.
Hendricks struck out five and didn’t walk anyone. Although he was hit hard a few times, he minimized the damage.
Hendricks has a 5.23 ERA, but he’s allowed three runs or fewer in seven of 10 starts, and he’s finished five innings or more in eight of 10.
Hendricks said he was satisfied with his outing, particularly because one of the runs he allowed was the result of a squibbed ground ball that went for a double.
“A lot of good stuff, honestly,” Hendricks said. “Just keeps getting better and better. I feel like Travis and I are really getting on the same page now, finding some consistency. That’s kind of the worst outcome I could get right there, three runs. I feel like I really only gave up two. They put a couple good swings on some good pitches. But overall, that was felt much more like myself, so got to keep following that for sure.”