OC Register: Steve Cishek’s rough bullpen outing sends Angels to crucial loss against A’s

[AngelsWin.com]

OAKLAND — Steve Cishek’s quick meltdown spoiled another strong outing for Shohei Ohtani.

After six scoreless innings from Ohtani, Cishek walked two and gave up a three-run homer in the seventh inning of the Angels’ 4-1 loss to the Oakland A’s on Monday night.

It was a critical loss for the Angels against the team they are chasing for the final playoff spot, with the days dwindling before the July 30 trading deadline. The Angels (46-47) are now 6-1/2 games behind the A’s for the second American League wild card spot.

This loss was an all too predictable outcome on a couple of levels.

First, Cishek has had control issues all year. Despite coming into the game with a 2.83 ERA, he had walked an unsightly 5.4 hitters per nine innings.

He began his outing by walking Mitch Moreland and Matt Chapman on 11 pitches.

That brought up Angels-killer Ramon Laureano, whose eight home runs against the Angels are his second-most against any team. He has three homers against the Angels this season, while going 9 for 27 (.333).

Ohtani had retired him twice, but Cishek couldn’t. Cishek threw a slider that hung over the middle of the plate, and Laureano blasted it over the fence in left field to break open a scoreless game.

It was the first homer that Cishek had allowed in 46 innings, ending the longest active streak in the majors.

Cishek alone didn’t ruin Ohtani’s night, because the Angels still hadn’t scored any runs for him.

Oakland left-hander Cole Irvin had shut out the Angels on four hits through seven innings. The Angels wasted a double to lead off the game by David Fletcher, who got back on the board a day after his 26-game hitting streak ended.

In the third, Fletcher was trying to score from first on an Ohtani double to the warning track in center field.

Laureano, the center fielder, made a perfect throw to shortstop Elvis Andrus, whose relay to the plate was in time to nail Fletcher. The Angels challenged the play, presumably on the basis that catcher Sean Murphy was blocking the plate without the ball, but the call was upheld.

Beyond the bullpen and offensive issues was another outstanding start for Ohtani, who pitched for the first time since his perfect first inning at the All-Star Game last week.

Ohtani struck out eight and allowed one walk. He gave up three hits. He wasn’t as efficient as he could have been, so he was at 96 pitches when Manager Joe Maddon went to the bullpen.

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Ohtani got into a couple of tight spots, but he escaped both with impressive sequences.

In the second, he gave up a one-out double to Mitch Moreland, but then he struck out Chapman and Laureano. He cranked his fastball up to 98 mph twice against Laureano.

An inning later Ohtani walked No. 9 hitter Tony Kemp and then gave up a bloop double to Mark Canha, putting two in scoring position for the heart of the lineup. Ohtani struck out Andrus and he got fellow All-Star Matt Olson on a groundout.

Matt Olson hit a solo homer for Oakland off of Alex Claudio in the eighth.

More to come on this story.

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[ukyah]

the 2021 angels don't beat +.500 teams.

 

[jsnpritchett]

How do you write a summary of tonight's game and not even mention Marsh getting his first major league hits?

[rottiesworld]

 Steve Cishek fucks it up just about every time he is in the game but yet stupid Masson keeps putting him in games. I think Masson is brain dead, stop putting him in games unless your up by like 10 runs. I think MDson just wants to lose. The Angels beat the Red Sux and Yankees but can’t beat Oakland or Seattle..

[Jason]

8 hours ago, jsnpritchett said:

How do you write a summary of tonight's game and not even mention Marsh getting his first major league hits?

and RBI

[Torridd]

Is it me or every time this guy comes in the game he gives up runs? Yet his ERA looks good. I don't get it.

[jsnpritchett]

3 minutes ago, Torridd said:

Is it me or every time this guy comes in the game he gives up runs? Yet his ERA looks good. I don't get it.

Inherited runners don't count toward his own ERA.

[Lou]

9 hours ago, jsnpritchett said:

How do you write a summary of tonight's game and not even mention Marsh getting his first major league hits?

Click on the link.

"The Angels’ only run came on an RBI double by Brandon Marsh – one of his three hits in his second big league game – in the ninth"

[jsnpritchett]

1 minute ago, Lou said:

Click on the link.

"The Angels’ only run came on an RBI double by Brandon Marsh – one of his three hits in his second big league game – in the ninth"

Wasn't in the article at the time of my post.

[eligrba]

1 minute ago, jsnpritchett said:

Wasn't in the article at the time of my post.

[Angel Oracle]

9 hours ago, ukyah said:

the 2021 angels don't beat +.500 teams.

 

25-39 is PATHETIC!

Perry can feel free to actually find relievers who don’t walk half of the free world.

Edited July 20, 2021 by Angel Oracle

[Mark PT]

8 hours ago, Torridd said:

Is it me or every time this guy comes in the game he gives up runs? Yet his ERA looks good. I don't get it.

This is the manager manipulating the stats. He takes him out quickly and minimizes damage. Still cant put him in any tight situations.

[Angel Oracle]

Retire Cishek!