Angels Let Series Slip Away Despite Late Rally in 7-6 Walk-Off Loss to Rangers
Anthony Arroyo
Host · Writer
ARLINGTON, Tex. — Coming into the series finale against the Texas Rangers, the Los Angeles Angels had an opportunity to win the series after splitting the first two games. The Angels handed the ball to one of their most reliable starters this season, Reid Detmers, hoping he could build on his strong recent stretch.
Instead, Los Angeles fell 7-6 in heartbreaking fashion. Kirby Yates was charged with his fourth loss of the season after surrendering the walk-off hit in the ninth inning as the Angels came up just short of forcing extra innings.
Although Detmers entered the game with a 4.13 ERA, that number does not fully reflect how well he has pitched this season. Through 18 starts, he carried a 3-6 record with a 1.11 WHIP and had been one of the Angels' more effective arms. He was also coming off an impressive July, posting a 2.27 ERA across five starts spanning 31.2 innings, making this a strong opportunity to bounce back after his previous outing.
That previous start, however, came against the Boston Red Sox on July 3, when he allowed five runs over five innings, including a home run. The hope was that he would rebound and help get the Angels back on track.
Instead, Detmers ran into trouble immediately.
The Rangers struck first in the bottom of the first inning. After Josh Jung doubled, Brandon Nimmo connected on a solo home run before Jake Burger followed with an RBI single, giving Texas a 2-0 lead.
The Angels answered in the third inning. Wade Meckler opened the frame with a single before Zach Neto reached on an infield hit, advancing to second while Meckler moved to third. Mike Trout then drove in the Angels' first run with a groundout to shortstop Ezequiel Duran, trimming the deficit to 2-1. It would be the only run Los Angeles scored in the inning.
Texas quickly responded.
In the bottom of the third, Detmers surrendered his second home run of the game when Duran launched a two-run shot to extend the Rangers' lead to 4-1.
The Rangers added another run in the fourth as Justin Foscue hit a solo homer, the third long ball allowed by Detmers. He completed the inning before Chase Silseth took over in the fifth.
Detmers finished with 4.0 innings pitched, allowing seven hits and five earned runs while walking one and striking out six. It marked the second consecutive start in which he surrendered five earned runs. While he generated 10 whiffs on 39 swings, the swing-and-miss stuff was overshadowed by his struggles against the Rangers lineup.
Silseth, meanwhile, provided an immediate spark out of the bullpen. He needed just seven pitches to complete a scoreless fifth inning, giving the Angels their first scoreless frame since the second inning.
Unfortunately for Los Angeles, the offense struggled for much of the night.
The game also carried added importance for Texas. Entering the series, the Rangers sat atop the American League West despite a 46-46 record. With the division race remaining tight, this was an opportunity for the Angels to make life more difficult for a division rival. Instead, they missed a chance to capitalize, making the loss even more frustrating.
That has been a recurring theme this season.
The Angels remain the worst team in baseball, and while the Rangers, Seattle Mariners, and Houston Astros continue battling for the division, Los Angeles has struggled to consistently rise to the occasion. They had a chance to play spoiler in a tightly contested race, but their inconsistent play once again prevented them from doing so.
Texas extended its lead in the seventh after Brent Suter entered the game. Foscue delivered again, this time with a ground-rule RBI double that pushed the Rangers' advantage to 6-1.
Then everything changed.
The Angels erupted for five runs in the top of the seventh. Meckler delivered an RBI single before Nolan Schanuel followed with a two-run single to cut the deficit to two. Jorge Soler added an RBI single to bring the Angels within one before Jo Adell tied the game at 6-6 with an RBI single later in the inning.
It was an impressive response from an offense that had been quiet most of the night. After struggling against Eovaldi, the Angels suddenly found life and erased a five-run deficit. The rally showcased how quickly this lineup can get rolling, even when the game appears out of reach.
The bullpen did its part from there. Ryan Zeferjahn and Sam Bachman each tossed scoreless innings to keep the game tied heading into the ninth.
The Angels, however, could not push across the go-ahead run.
Yates entered in the bottom of the ninth and was walked off by Wyatt Langford, who had returned from the injured list earlier in the day. Langford lined a single to left field, sealing a 7-6 Rangers victory.
Ultimately, the Angels dropped both the game and the series. They will look to regroup Friday when they open a three-game series against the Minnesota Twins. Grayson Rodriguez (2-2, 8.06 ERA) is scheduled to start for Los Angeles, while Zebby Matthews (4-5, 4.43 ERA) is expected to take the mound for Minnesota.
