Bats Do Their Part, But Pitching Fails Again. A’s 10

Two games in Oak-town, two losses in Oak-town. After playing a marathon, 19 inning, matchup on Monday night, the Angels were back at it again on Tuesday trying to get back into the win column. Unfortunately, that would not be the case tonight. After a bullpen implosion cost snatched a sure victory from the team’s hands last night, the pitching once again let the team down tonight.

August 25, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Garrett Richards (43) sits in dugout after being relieved during the eighth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The Angels struck first in the third when J.B. Shuck scored on an a botched play by Adam Rosales. The A’s would answer back in their half of the fourth, but Mike Trout (2-4 2B, 3B, 4 RBI) took them back with a two-run double in the fifth putting the Angels up 3-2. That lead would not last long though as Garrett Richards – who had been utterly dominant against the Tigers a mere two starts ago – surrendered three runs when the A’s hit in their half of the fifth. The Angels made noise in the sixth, but were unable to push any runs across the plate. Then came the bottom half, and that’s when all hell broke loose.

After getting two quick outs, Richards seemingly forgot how to put hitters away, which was then compounded by Nick Maronde forgetting how to throw strikes, which was not made any better when the runners that Barry Enright inherited scored. When it was all said and done, the A’s had pushed across four two-out runs, giving them a commanding 9-3 lead.

Battered, but not completely broken, the Angels answered back in the seventh inning when Mike Trout tripled home Erick Aybar and then scored on an Albert Pujols ground out. That was followed by Mark Trumbo hitting yet another mammoth home run, cutting the deficit to three runs. But by then, the lead was just too big, and there simply weren’t enough outs left to stage a comeback.

The worst part, is that the offense did exactly what it was supposed to do, score runs. And usually, when a team scores six runs (or eight runs in last night’s case), they win. But then again, those teams probably aren’t saddled with a patchwork pitching staff.

The Angels close the book on ~~the month from hell~~ April with a 9-17 record. They kick off May with an Afternoon game that pits C.J. Wilson against Tommy Milone at 12:35 PM PST. Hopefully the team can finish the road trip with a victory before coming home to take on the Orioles. Now, let us never speak of this month again.