OC Register: Angels get quality starting pitching again, but struggle to hit Astros

[AngelsWin.com]

• Astros’ Alex Bregman, center, scores past Angels’ Martin Maldonado, left, during a game at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Thursday, September 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Angels starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco (47) delivers a pitch during a game against the Astros at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Thursday, September 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) gets under a fly ball going behind him during a game against the Astros at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Thursday, September 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Astros starting pitcher Brad Peacock (41) delivers a pitch during a game against the Angels at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Thursday, September 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Astros right fielder Josh Reddick (22) is just short of making a sliding catch during a game against the Angels at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Thursday, September 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• A young Mike Trout fan hopes to get an autograph before a game against against the Astros at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Thursday, September 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Angels’ Brandon Phillips prays before a game against the Astros at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Thursday, September 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Astros’ Alex Bregman(2) is being greeted at the dugout after scoring during a game at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Thursday, September 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Angels starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco (47) throws a pitch during a game against the Astros at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Thursday, September 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Angels left fielder Justin Upton (9) turns around after taking a pitch during a game against the Astros at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Thursday, September 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Angels first baseman Luis Valbuena (18) launches a solo homer in the fourth inning during a game against the Astros at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Thursday, September 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Angels first baseman Luis Valbuena (18) watches his solo homer in the fourth inning during a game against the Astros at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Thursday, September 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Luis Valbuena, right, tosses his bat after hitting a solo home run while Houston Astros catcher Brian McCann watches during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

• Angels third baseman Luis Valbuena (18), left, celebrates his solo homer in the fourth inning during a game against the Astros at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Thursday, September 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Angels third baseman Luis Valbuena (18) is being greeted in the dugout after hitting a solo homer in the fourth inning during a game against the Astros at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Thursday, September 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Angels’ Brandon Phillips bunts the ball above his head during a game against the Astros at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Thursday, September 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Angels’ Luis Valbuena watches the game from the dugout during a game against the Astros at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Thursday, September 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• An Astros fan holds up Houston Strong sign during a game at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Thursday, September 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Albert Pujols, left, is forced out at second by Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa while trying to advance on a ball hit by Kole Calhoun, who was safe at first during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

• Astros shortstop Carlos Correa (1), left, tags out the Angels’ Albert Pujols during a game at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Thursday, September 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Angels relief pitcher Blake Wood (46) delivers a pitch during a game against the Astros at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Thursday, September 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Angels relief pitcher Keynan Middleton (39) exits the game against the Astros after feeling discomfort with a trainer at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Thursday, September 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• From left, Angels’ Justin Upton, Mike Trout, and Kole Calhoun chat in the outfield after relief pitcher Blake Wood replaces Keynan Middleton exits with an injury during a game against the Astros at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Thursday, September 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Angels relief pitcher Blake Wood (46) delivers a pitch during a game against the Astros at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Thursday, September 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) hustles around the bases on a double by Marwin Gonzalez during a game at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Thursday, September 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Angels first baseman C.J. Cron (24), right, catches Astros left fielder Marwin Gonzalez (9) on a rundown during a game at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Thursday, September 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) makes a leaping throw to first on a hit by the Angels’ Brandon Phillips during a game at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Thursday, September 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) walks back to the dugout after getting struck out during a game against the Astros at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Thursday, September 14, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

• Los Angeles Angels right fielder Kole Calhoun makes the catch on a ball hit by Houston Astros’ Brian McCann during the second inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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ANAHEIM — Although the Angels are finally getting the kind of starting pitching they need, they are nonetheless slipping in the wild card race.

Despite a fourth consecutive game in which the Angels starter gave up two runs or less in at least five innings, the Angels lost, 5-2, to the Houston Astros on Thursday night.

The Angels fell three games behind the Minnesota Twins in the wild card race, the first time since the morning of Aug. 8 they had been that far out of a playoff spot. The Angels have 16 games remaining.

There was also more bad news for the pitching staff, with Keynan Middleton leaving the game with right ulnar nerve irritation.

On the bright side, the Angels’ rotation suddenly looks slightly more solid. In the last four games, none of their starters has allowed more than two runs.

Ricky Nolasco gave up two runs in six innings, his best outing in more than a month.

Nolasco gave up both runs in the second inning, when he allowed three hits. After that, Nolasco retired 13 of the next 15 batters, to get through the sixth.

When Nolasco left, the Angels trailed 2-1, their only run coming on a Luis Valbuena homer.

It was the second homer in as many games for Valbuena, whose bat flip after Wednesday’s homer prompted a purpose pitch that got Mike Fiers suspended for five games. Valbuena said that he won’t change how he plays, although his flip was much more mild on his Thursday homer.

It was Valbuena’s 10th homer in the last 24 games, and 15th since the All-Star break.

Other than Valbuena’s homer, though, the Angels could not score against Houston starter Brad Peacock. They left the bases loaded in the first inning – on an Andrelton Simmons flyout – and didn’t otherwise put much pressure on the Astros.

The game also included a new obstacle for Albert Pujols.

The Astros, who were at the forefront of the movement of extreme defensive shifts a few years ago, played Pujols in a new way.

Because Pujols has lost so much speed, any ground ball he hits is an easy out. So the Astros pushed both their middle infielders into the outfield, with shortstop Carlos Correa positioned 197 feet from home plate, in shallow left. Second baseman Jose Altuve was 188 feet deep, about 60 feet behind the bag.

This allowed them to keep almost any ground ball from getting by them, and still have time to throw out Pujols. Sure enough, Pujols hit a hard ground ball that Correa fielded in shallow left, throwing out Pujols at first.

Aside from reducing Pujols’ chances of getting a ground ball by the infielders, it also makes him run harder, because there aren’t routine groundouts to left field.

Of course, the alignment only works when there are no runners on base, because the infielders couldn’t cover on stolen bases on turn double plays.

Pujols found a way to beat the alignments in the ninth inning, hitting a ball where no one could field it for his 22nd home run of the season. It was the 613th of his career, moving him past Jim Thome into seventh place on the career list.

More to come on this story.

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