PHILADELPHIA — Hunter Renfroe, Reynaldo López and Matt Moore all could have been playing their final game in an Angels uniform Thursday.
Each played a pivotal role – good and bad – in the Angels’ 10-8 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday afternoon.
The final blow was delivered by a player who isn’t going anywhere. Brandon Drury hit a tie-breaking two-run homer against closer Craig Kimbrel in the top of the ninth.
The Angels won the rollercoaster game a day after they reportedly placed six players on waivers Tuesday in an apparent effort to cut up to $7 million in salary at the end of this disappointing season.
The waiver period ends Thursday, so any player who is claimed would be gone by the time the Angels return to action Friday.
Three of the players placed on waivers were Renfroe, López and Moore.
Renfroe hit a two-run homer and drove in four runs, including a two-run single in the eighth inning that briefly restored the Angels’ lead, in between failures by López and Moore.
López got the ball in the sixth with the Angels up 5-3. The first batter he faced was Trea Turner, who blasted a three-run homer.
After Renfroe came through with a two-out, bases-loaded single to give the Angels the lead in the top of the eighth, Moore came to the mound.
A left-handed pitcher who has struggled against lefties all season, Moore gave up a one-out single to Kyle Schwarber and then a two-out homer to Bryce Harper. Schwarber and Harper are both lefties.
In the ninth inning, though, the Angels were able to erase all of that.
Pinch-hitter Mike Moustakas led off by striking out, but he reached first on a wild pitch. Rookie Nolan Schanuel singled, sending pinch-runner Trey Cabbage to third. Luis Rengifo drove him in with a fly ball, tying the game.
An out later, Drury blasted his 19th homer of the season, just over the fence in right-center, silencing a raucous crowd anticipating a sweep.
Closer Carlos Estévez worked the ninth to record his 29th save.
Angels starter Reid Detmers gave up two runs in four innings before coming out of the game with 84 pitches.
He allowed four hits and three walks, escaping more serious trouble because the Angels turned two double plays behind him.
More to come on this story.