OC Register: Angels finish final trip of the season with 5th straight loss

[AngelsWin.com]

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  Los Angeles Angels Shohei Ohtani strikes out swinging but runs to first after Houston Astro’s catcher Martin Maldonado dropped the ball in the fifth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018, in Houston. (AP Photo/Richard Carson)

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  Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani, left, is tagged by Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado after striking out in the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018, in Houston. (AP Photo/Richard Carson)

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  Los Angeles Angels’ center fielder Michael Hermosillo catches a ball hit by Houston Astros’ Alex Bregman in the fourth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018, in Houston. (AP Photo/Richard Carson)

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  Los Angeles Angels pitcher Junichi Tazawa delivers against the Houston Astros in the third inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018, in Houston. (AP Photo/Richard Carson)

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  Houston Astros’ pitcher Framber Valdez delivers against the Los Angeles Angels after replacing starter Charlie Morton in the second inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018, in Houston. (AP Photo/Richard Carson)

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  Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scoiscia, left, hands the ball to relief pitcher Junichi Tazawa, second from right, as he replaces Tyler Skaggs in the third inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018, in Houston. (AP Photo/Richard Carson)

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  Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani, left, is tagged by Houston Astro’s catcher Martin Maldonado after striking out in the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018, in Houston. (AP Photo/Richard Carson)

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  Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs delivers the ball against the Houston Astros in the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018, in Houston. (AP Photo/Richard Carson)

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  Houston Astros’ Yuli Gurriel, front right, is greeted by teammate Tyler White (13) after his home run against the Los Angeles Angels in the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018, in Houston. (AP Photo/Richard Carson)

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  Los Angeles Angels Justin Upton is greeted by teammate Francisco Arcia after scoring on a wild pitch from Houston Astros’ pitcher Charlie Morton in the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018, in Houston. (AP Photo/Richard Carson)

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  Houston Astros’ pitcher Charlie Morton is late on the tag as Los Angeles Angels Justin Upton scores on a wild pitch in the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018, in Houston. (AP Photo/Richard Carson)

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HOUSTON — The Angels are bringing an ugly losing streak home to begin what will likely be Mike Scioscia’s final week as manager.

The Angels’ 6-2 loss to the Houston Astros on Sunday was their fifth in a row on the final trip of the season, dropping the team to 75-81, a season-worst six games under .500.

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In Scioscia’s first 17 years, the Angels never had back-to-back losing seasons. He will finish with three in a row, in his 17th to 19th seasons, unless the Angels can win their final six to finish at .500. They have three against the Texas Rangers starting Monday, followed by three against the Oakland A’s starting Friday.

Making matters even worse, Andrelton Simmons left the game with an injury after he tumbled awkwardly after fielding a bouncer and making a throw in the seventh inning. Simmons walked gingerly for a few minutes before coming out of the game. There was no immediate report on his condition.

This losing streak has mostly been about the Angels pitching.

The Angels gave up 58 runs in the five losses, two at Oakland and three in Houston. That included a franchise-record four straight games allowing at least 10 runs. The Angels even gave up seven runs in the game they won, on Tuesday.

The Angels finished 38-43 on the road, after winning 13 of their first 16 road games. They did not lose a series on the road until May 25-27.

All of that was before the season slipped away in June, a month that saw Garrett Richards, Shohei Ohtani and Zack Cozart all suffer serious injuries.

Tyler Skaggs, the Angels best pitcher for most of the first half, also got hurt in June, when he tweaked his groin in the weight room. He didn’t go on the disabled list until July. Even then, two short stints on the DL in July proved to be insufficient to take care of the problem, so he ended up missing a month before returning this week.

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He pitched three scoreless innings in his return, at the start of the trip, but he finished the trip on Sunday by allowing four runs in 2-1/3 innings.

Skaggs gave up a two-run homer to Yuli Gurriel in the first inning. An out later, Marwin Gonzalez double down the left field line. He scored on an Evan Gattis single.

After a perfect second, Skaggs gave up another run in the third, on two hits and a hit batter, before his day ended at 54 pitches.

With one start to go, Skaggs has a 3.91 ERA over 122 innings and 22 starts.

More to come on this story.

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