OC Register: Andrew Heaney allows 3 homers in Angels loss to Rangers

[AngelsWin.com]

• Los Angeles Angels first baseman C.J. Cron (24) tags out Texas Rangers’ Delino DeShields (3) as he was trying to steal second in the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

• Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia, left, and Mike Trout (27) congratulate Justin Upton, center rear, and Brandon Phillips (4) after the two scored on a C.J. Cron double in the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Andrew Heaney throws to the Texas Rangers in the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

• Texas Rangers’ Delino DeShields flies out in the second inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

• Texas Rangers’ Elvis Andrus is congratulated in the dugout after hitting a solo home run against the Los Angeles Angels in the third inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

• Texas Rangers manager Jeff Banister argues with crew chief Bill Welke, left, after Rangers player Carlos Gomez was thrown out of the game in the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

• Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) looks to see fans diving for a two-run home run ball hit by Texas Rangers’ Robinson Chirinos in the fourth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

• Texas Rangers’ Robinson Chirinos celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run against the Los Angeles Angels in the fourth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

• Texas Rangers’ Robinson Chirinos, front, celebrates his two-run home run as he crosses the plate in front of Los Angeles Angels’ Martin Maldonado, rear, in the fourth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

• Texas Rangers’ Delino DeShields celebrates his solo home run off Los Angeles Angels’ Andrew Heaney as he crosses the plate in the fourth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

• Texas Rangers’ Delino DeShields celebrates is solo home run off of Los Angeles Angels’ Andrew Heaney as he crosses the plate in the fourth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

• Texas Rangers’ Rougned Odor is lifted by Delino DeShields, right, as the two celebrate a solo home run hit by DeShields in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Andrew Heaney (28) walks to the dugout after turning the ball over to manager Mike Scioscia, right, as catcher Martin Maldonado stands on the mound in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

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ARLINGTON, Texas — While the Angels lineup has clearly improved lately, the pitching is struggling to keep up.

Andrew Heaney’s sloppy start was too much for a resilient Angels offense to overcome in a 7-6 loss to the Texas Rangers on Sunday, ending a forgettable weekend series for the pitching staff.

The Angels gave up 22 runs in the series, losing two of the three games. Their only consolation was the Minnesota Twins also lost two of three this weekend, so they remained 1 1/2 games behind in the race for the second wild card spot.

Offensively, the Angels now have a more formidable lineup, with the additions of Justin Upton and Brandon Phillips and second-half hot streaks of Luis Valbuena and C.J. Cron. They nearly overcame a 7-3 deficit in the ninth inning.

The Angels have now flipped the script from much of the season, when it was the Angels’ pitchers who kept them afloat while the lineup struggled.

Ironically, the pitching has cracked just as they have started to get some of their most talented pitchers back from the disabled list. Neither Tyler Skaggs nor Heaney have been able to recapture their pre-injury form.

They represented the bookend losses in this series, with Skaggs allowing six runs on Friday night and Heaney allowing five runs in 3 1/3 innings on Sunday. Skaggs has a 5.86 ERA in his six starts since coming off the disabled list, and Heaney now has a 6.98 ERA in four outings.

Heaney’s previous start — one run in six innings, with 10 strikeouts — was a step forward, but this was a step back.

Heaney gave up three homers, solo shots by Elvis Andrus and Delino DeShields sandwiched around a Robinson Chirinos two-run homer. Heaney has now allowed 11 homers in 19 1/3 innings.

Heaney also walked four, which was particularly uncharacteristic for him. For his career, he had averaged just 2.2 walks per nine innings.

The Angels trailed 5-2 when Heaney was pulled, after allowing DeShields’ homer.

It was yet another deficit for the Angels’ offense to try to overcome, and they gave it a shot, with pressure every inning.

Double plays scuttled Angels’ rallies in the third and fourth, and they left two runners apiece in the fifth, sixth and seventh. Albert Pujols’ 90th RBI of the season, in the fifth, pulled them within 5-3.

Their rallies in the sixth and seventh were snuffed by first baseman Will Middlebrooks’ leaping catch of a Brandon Phillips liner and third baseman Joey Gallo’s diving catch of an Andrelton Simmons shot.

In the ninth, the Angels loaded the bases with no outs, bringing the potential tying run to the plate. Pujols then popped out. After Simmons drove in two runs with a double, C.J. Cron struck out. Kole Calhoun was intentionally walked to load the bases. Pinch-hitter Kaleb Cowart then walked, pulling the Angels within 7-6. Luis Valbuena then grounded into a game-ending forceout.

More to come on this story.

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