OC Register: Griffin Canning, Matt Thaiss give Angels a much-needed lift

[AngelsWin.com]

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  The Angels’ Matt Thaiss tracks the flight of his two-run home run during the second inning of Tuesday’s game against the Tigers at Angel Stadium. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)

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  Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Griffin Canning throws to a Detroit Tigers batter during the first inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, July 30, 2019. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

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  Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Drew VerHagen throws to a Los Angeles Angels batter during the first inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, July 30, 2019. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

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  Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani hits a single during the first inning of the team’s baseball game against the Detroit Tigers in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, July 30, 2019. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

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  Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout, left, rounds second to advance to third from first on a single by Shohei Ohtani, with Detroit Tigers second baseman Niko Goodrum nearby during the first inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, July 30, 2019. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

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  ANAHEIM, CA – JULY 30: Matt Thaiss #23 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim hits a two run home run in the second inning against pitcher Drew VerHagen #54 of the Detroit Tigers at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 30, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)

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  ANAHEIM, CA – JULY 30: Matt Thaiss #23 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim rounds second base after hitting a two run home run in the second inning against pitcher Drew VerHagen #54 of the Detroit Tigers at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 30, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)

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  Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Drew VerHagen, left, reacts as Los Angeles Angels’ Matt Thaiss rounds third after hitting a two-run home run during the second inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, July 30, 2019. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

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  Los Angeles Angels’ Andrelton Simmons, left, congratulates Matt Thaiss after Thaiss hit a two-run home run during the second inning of the team’s baseball game against the Detroit Tigers in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, July 30, 2019. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

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  ANAHEIM, CA – JULY 30: Matt Thaiss #23 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim is congratulated by Dustin Garneau #13 after a two run home run in the second inning against pitcher Drew VerHagen #54 of the Detroit Tigers at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 30, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)

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  ANAHEIM, CA – JULY 30: Matt Thaiss #23 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim is congratulated by Mike Trout #27 as he walks into the dugout after hitting a two run home run in the second inning agaisnt the Detroit Tigers at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 30, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)

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  ANAHEIM, CA – JULY 30: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim steals second base against the Detroit Tigers in the third inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 30, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)

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  Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani, right, avoids the tag by Detroit Tigers shortstop Jordy Mercer to steal second base during the third inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, July 30, 2019. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

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  ANAHEIM, CA – JULY 30: Brian Goodwin #18 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim is congratulated by David Fletcher #6 after he was driven in on a single hit by Shohei Ohtani #17 in the fifth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 30, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)

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  ANAHEIM, CA – JULY 30: Griffin Canning #47 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitches in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 30, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)

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  Angels starting pitcher Griffin Canning throws to the plate during the second inning of Tuesday’s game against the Tigers at Angel Stadium. Canning pitched six shutout innings. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)

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  Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani, right, runs to first to beat out the throw by Detroit Tigers third baseman Harold Castro, with Tigers catcher Jake Rogers, center, and home plate umpire Gabe Morales, left, watching during the third inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, July 30, 2019. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

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  Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani stands next to first base coach Jesus Feliciano after beating out the throw by Detroit Tigers third baseman Harold Castro for a single during the third inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, July 30, 2019. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

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  ANAHEIM, CA – JULY 30: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim catches a fly ball hit by Niko Goodrum #28 of the Detroit Tigers in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 30, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)

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  ANAHEIM, CA – JULY 30: Brian Goodwin #18 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim dives into home to score a run on a single hit by Shohei Ohtani #17 while Jake Rogers #34 of the Detroit Tigers waits for the throw in the fifth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 30, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)

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  ANAHEIM, CA – JULY 30: Brian Goodwin #18 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim looks up after being driven in by Shohei Ohtani #17 against the Detroit Tigers in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 30, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)

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  ANAHEIM, CA – JULY 30: Jordy Mercer #7 and Victor Reyes #22 of the Detroit Tigers can not come up with a ball hit by Andrelton Simmons #2 that drove in Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the fifth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 30, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)

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  ANAHEIM, CA – JULY 30: Jordy Mercer #7 and Victor Reyes #22 of the Detroit Tigers can not come up with a ball hit by Andrelton Simmons #2 that drove in Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the fifth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 30, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)

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ANAHEIM — On the day before the Angels will have their final chance to add some pitching until the winter, they got to see an encouraging bounceback from one of the pitchers they have.

Griffin Canning pitched six shutout innings in the Angels’ 6-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night, in the Angels’ final game before Wednesday’s 1 p.m. PDT trade deadline.

Canning, the Angels’ top pitching prospect, had allowed 16 runs in 11-2/3 innings over his previous four outings, including an emergency relief appearance in the 15th and 16th innings of last Thursday’s marathon loss.

After that game, the Angels opted to give him a full four days of rest before his next scheduled start, and he came out looking strong on Tuesday night. He struck out seven while holding the Tigers to four hits and one walk.

Canning threw two fastballs at 96 mph or harder in the first inning, matching his total from the rest of the season.

He whipped through the Tigers order without much trouble for four innings, throwing just 55 pitches. In the fifth, he got into a jam when he gave up a bunt single and issued a walk. He retired Niko Goodrum on a flyout to end the inning.

The Angels have gotten far too few outings like that from their starters, which is why General Manager Billy Eppler has been working the phones trying to pick up starting pitching help before the deadline.

Eppler said a couple of weeks ago that the Angels were “absolutely” looking to be buyers, although more focused on obtaining players who could help in 2020 and beyond.

With their playoff chances seeming remote, even before they lost four of five games to the Baltimore Orioles and Detroit Tigers, the best fits for the Angels seemed to be the handful of available starting pitchers under control at least through next year.

The Mets’ Noah Syndergaard, the Diamondbacks’ Robbie Ray and the Rangers’ Mike Minor are the best pitchers in that group, although all will come with a prospect price tag perhaps too high for the Angels.

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There is a second tier of pitchers who are less accomplished or who have struggled recently, such as Mike Leake, Danny Duffy, Chris Archer or Jeff Samardzija. Each of them could be acquired to act as innings-eaters, with some upside that they rebound to their earlier form, at minimal prospect cost.

While Canning was giving the Angels a much-needed rotation boost on Tuesday, they also got an offensive boost from another rookie.

The Angels took the lead when Matt Thaiss hit a two-run homer in the second inning, his fifth homer of the season and his fourth in the past five games.

They padded the lead with two in the fifth. Brian Goodwin doubled and scored on a Shohei Ohtani single. Ohtani scored when Andrelton Simmons dropped a bloop single into left.

Thais added an RBI single in the seventh inning.

More to come on this story.

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