OC Register: Slumping Angels hitters come up empty in support of Patrick Sandoval

[AngelsWin.com]

Patrick Sandoval delivered the best outing of his young big league career and the Angels struggling hitters wasted it.

Sandoval gave up two runs in six innings in the Angels’ 2-0 loss to the Rangers on Saturday in Arlington, Texas. It was the first time in his 11 big league starts the 23-year-old had lasted longer than five innings.

The Angels didn’t support him with even a single run, getting blanked for five innings by Kolby Allard, who gave up just two hits.

The Angels, whose offense has been an issue for much of the young season, finished with only four hits, and one of those was a ground ball that was originally ruled an error. They did not even get a runner to third.

The game was a matchup of a pair of pitchers who attended rival high schools in South Orange County. Sandoval graduated from Mission

Related Articles

• Angels’ Hansel Robles and his fastball might be missing the fans
• Errors, walks and missed opportunities cost Angels in loss to Rangers
• Joe Maddon believes Angels clubhouse is free of drug issues
• Former Angels employee Eric Kay charged in connection with death of Tyler Skaggs
• Dylan Bundy continues resurgence, leads Angels to victory against Mariners

Viejo High in and Allard from San Clemente High, both in 2015.

Sandoval was making his second start of the season after getting a late start in summer camp because of a bout with COVID-19 in June. He was limited to four innings in his first outing, but this time he set for a limit of about 90 pitches.

Manager Joe Maddon, who has had a relatively quick hook on starters early this season, even gave Sandoval a little more leash.

Sandoval needed 78 pitches to finish five innings, including a 20-pitch second when he pitched around two errors. He had faced the minimum six hitters in the fourth and fifth, so Maddon sent him back to the mound for the sixth.

Sandoval retired Elvis Andrus and Isaiah Kiner-Falefa, the top two hitters in the order, on seven pitches. He then gave up a single to Todd Frazier and a two-run homer to Joey Gallo.

Sandoval bounced back to strike out Rougned Odor to finish the sixth, finishing off his outing.

View the full article