OC Register: Angels blow lead in ninth and lose to Rockies on walk-off grand slam

[AngelsWin.com]

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  Charlie Blackmon #19 of the Colorado Rockies watches his walk-off grand slam in the ninth inning to defeat the Los Angeles Angels 8-4 at Coors Field on September 11, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

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  Charlie Blackmon #19 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates his walk-off grand slam in the ninth inning to defeat the Los Angeles Angels 8-4 at Coors Field on September 11, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

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  Charlie Blackmon #19 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates his walk-off grand slam in the ninth inning to defeat the Los Angeles Angels 8-4 with Garrett Hampson #1 and teammates at Coors Field on September 11, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

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  Justin Upton #10 of the Los Angeles Angels is congratulated on his RBI single by first base coach Jose Molina during the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on September 11, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

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  Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels runs to first base on a fielders choice as Josh Fuentes #8 of the Colorado Rockies watches the play during the first inning at Coors Field on September 11, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

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  Starting pitcher Griffin Canning #47 of the Los Angeles Angels delivers to home plate during the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on September 11, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

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  First baseman Josh Fuentes #8 of the Colorado Rockies beats Jared Walsh #25 of the Los Angeles Angels to the bag for the first out of the third inning at Coors Field on September 11, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

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  Elias Diaz #35 of the Colorado Rockies sprays water on Josh Fuentes #8 after the Rockies defeated the Los Angeles Angels 8-4 on a walk-off grand slam by Charlie Blackmon of the Colorado Rockies in the during the ninth inning at Coors Field on September 11, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

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  Ryan McMahon #24 of the Colorado Rockies throws to first base to complete the double play to end the third inning as Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels slides in during the third inning at Coors Field on September 11, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

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The Angels let another victory get away on Friday night.

They gave up a walk-off grand slam by Charlie Blackmon in the ninth inning to lose 8-4 to the Colorado Rockies in Denver, coughing up a one-run lead they had just taken in the top of the inning.

Ty Buttrey took the mound in the bottom of the ninth, not long after Jared Walsh’s game-tying homer in the eighth and Anthony Bemboom’s go-ahead homer in the ninth.

Buttrey retired the first hitter, but then gave up a homer to Ryan McMahon on a changeup over the outside corner. Josh Fuentes then doubled into right-center and Daniel Murphy walked.

Joe Maddon summoned left-hander Jose Quijada, and he struck out Raimel Tapia before walking Trevor Story and then giving up the homer to Blackmon.

The Angels had a chance to pull within 3 1/2 games of the idle Houston Astros for a playoff spot, but instead they fell to 4 1/2 back, with only 14 games to go.

It was the 13th blown save of the season for the Angels, one of the reasons their season has gone so far off the rails.

Another has been poor starting pitcher, but they actually got a decent performance out of Griffin Canning.

He was charged with three runs in 5 2/3 innings in his first outing at hitter-friendly Coors Field, but he deserved better.

Canning did not allow a run in the first two innings, but in the the third he gave up leadoff single to Fuentes and then a walk to Tony Wolters.

Canning recorded the first out on a flyout to left, and then Story hit a fly ball to right-center field, between Mike Trout and Taylor Ward. The ball seemed to be catchable for either of them, but it appeared there was miscommunication and Ward pulled up just before the ball ticked off Trout’s glove.

A run scored on that play, and another run scored on a subsequent sacrifice fly, which would have been the third out.

In the fifth, Story hit another fly ball to the wall in right, and Ward drifted back but could not make the catch. The ball hit the fence, just above his glove, allowing a run to put the Rockies up 3-2.

The Angels erased that deficit on Walsh’s homer in the eighth, his third homer in his last three games.

In the ninth, Bemboom belted his second homer of the season, briefly putting the Angels up 4-3.

More to come on this story.

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[Angel Oracle]

BLOWpen

[ukyah]

it's just a black comedy now. i emotionally divested i think two seasons ago. last season and this i just check in and follow along. this team is so screwed up i really don't have an opinion on how to fix it anymore.

[fan_since79]

I wonder what the season record is for losses by a walk-off grand slam. We've got two so far.

[stormngt]

Blown saves is a false stat.

Blown games isn't a false stat.

[Taylor]

It skus when the Angels lose in a terrible way and then we're reminding of said terrible loss in this RSS-generated article thread title.

[totdprods]

21 minutes ago, Game 6 said:

I have said on other threads I believe Eppler should get a 2 year extension.

But I think this team is playing him out of a job and Maddon is managing him out of a job.

That sucks because I think the team is better off with Eppler in 2021.   

If Canning, Walsh, Ward, Thaiss, Adell, andRengifo wrap the season well, it could be what saves Eppler.

He’s put so much emphasis on holding the prospects and building the farm to get the Angels back on competitive track. If the kids show that, it could validate his plan. 

[fan_since79]

If Eppler can find a way to get a completely new bullpen and one or two good starting pitchers, then by all means he should keep his job.

 

 

[totdprods]

1 hour ago, fan_since79 said:

If Eppler can find a way to get a completely new bullpen and one or two good starting pitchers, then by all means he should keep his job.

 

 

His contract likely expires before the offseason truly begins, so what you’re asking isn’t possible.

His best chance right now is 1) the farm he’s held onto and been developing pays real dividends to close the year, offering some proof of his long-term vision and 2) Arte is lenient with the virus affecting things and Maddon gives him a vote of confidence

That’s about all the hope Billy has at this point.

[stormngt]

4 hours ago, Game 6 said:

I have said on other threads I believe Eppler should get a 2 year extension.

But I think this team is playing him out of a job and Maddon is managing him out of a job.

That sucks because I think the team is better off with Eppler in 2021.   

I also believe its better for the team to extend Eppler for next year.  I believe starting over with new GM and new "game plan" will delay the progress of the team.

However that doesnt mean he has earned the extension.  The constant turmoil in managers and GMs does nothi g to get us over the top.

Edited September 12, 2020 by stormngt

[Angel]

We need new blood in the Angels FO in the most inconspicuous areas, ol' Becky who's been taking the calls for the team president since forever might be completely clueless about how baseball works, who fucking knows? 

Stuff like that adds, up.  The less baseball minds in an organization the dumber the collective brain trust for the franchise.

[Stradling]

Fuck Becky, I mean seriously, what the hell is wrong with that broad?

[DMVol]

4 hours ago, Game 6 said:

....That sucks because I think the team is better off with Eppler in 2021.   

I have been in that camp but now I’m not so sure....Eppler makes good trades, most of them smaller, under the radar variety....he has improved the farm, maybe not dramatically but it is better than when he was hired.....but he is horrible with FA signings...that may be the most difficult job a GM has but he has been close to a total washout in that area....

[Taylor]

What does it mean when someone has a red hand on their avatar?

[Stradling]

1 hour ago, Game 6 said:

I think Becky believes "blown saves matter".

Maybe, I have long assumed Becky was at the center of all our problems.  

[Stradling]

10 minutes ago, Game 6 said:

Therein lies the real problem...

Yep.  

[Jay]

2 hours ago, Taylor said:

What does it mean when someone has a red hand on their avatar?

@Taylor hover over it and find out!

[failos]

Isn’t this exact scenario why blown save isn’t a fake stat, @Stradling ?

[Slegnaac]

Eppler gets a 4 month extension, with a 2 year club option contract that starts at the end of the extension. 

[Stradling]

3 hours ago, failos said:

Isn’t this exact scenario why blown save isn’t a fake stat, @Stradling ?

No.  The reason it’s a fake stat is we have 13 blown saves and our record is 5-7 in those games.  So not only did we not lose all of them, but we have more blown saves than decisions in those games.  Also We have a better winning percentage in games with a blown save than we do on the season.