Halo Highlights- Frieri Melts Down Again; Angels Four Out Of Wild Card Spot

Forget the rally monkey, the Angels may need a rally gorilla if they are going to make the playoffs at this point. The Angels are now four games out of a wild card spot with 12 to go as they lost 3-1 to the Texas Rangers.

Sep 20, 2012; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels reliever

(49) reacts after surrendering a two-run home run to Texas Rangers pinch hitter

in the ninth inning at Angel Stadium. The Rangers defeated the Angels 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

The pitching duel of Zack Greinke and Yu Darvish lived up to the billing. The first opportunity for anyone to score came in the third. With first and third, Mike Trout struck out and Chris Iannetta was caught stealing second to end the frame.

Then the fifth inning came. Nelson Cruz and David Murphy singled. Geovany Soto lifted a sac fly to left to break the scoreless tie. In the sixth, Mark Trumbo led off with a single and Peter Bourjos ran for him. Bourjos went to third on Iannetta’s single and Torii Hunter‘s groundout two batters later would tie the game.

It appears that Ernesto Frieri has regressed to the mean. For how outstanding he was in the first half, he’s been the opposite of late. Michael Young led off with a single and Adrian Beltre slugged his 34^th homer of the year. Joe Nathan came in for Texas and gave up an Albert Pujols double with two out but got Kendrys Morales to line out to end the game.

The Angels will host the Chicago White Sox this weekend. Jake Peavy and Ervin Santana will duel at 10:05ET/7:05PT. The Athletics head to New York to take on the Yankees while the Orioles head to Fenway to take on the Red Sox, so the Angels could possibly know the outcome of both matchups before their game starts.