Mini Streak Snapped as Angels Lose Slugfest to Astros

There are quite a few teams that the Angels have losing records against this season. They have a losing record against the Orioles. They also have a losing record against the Rangers and the Pirates and the A’s. They also have a losing record against the Houston Astros. The Astros on the other hand, having losing records against every team they have faced this season. Every team, but three. Three teams. The White Sox, the Rockies and, you guessed it, the Angels. And the Angels fell to 7-10 against the Astros on the season tonight thanks to one inning of ultra-terrible pitching.

First, the good stuff.

Mike Trout went 0-2. Yikes, right? He also walked three times, scored a run, and grabbed an RBI on one of his walks. All this while getting the number of Miss Kansas. Mike, you dog. Mark Trumbo continued his hot hitting ways when he lined a triple into the right-center field gap to bring home Trout and Howie Kendrick in the second to give the Angels a 2-0 lead. Chris Iannetta hit a dinger, Andrew Romine was able to make contact, and in the process, plate Kole Calhoun. Romine also scored a run on an Erick Aybar double (his 30th) in the sixth.

The offense did, everything it possibly could do to not lose this game. They scored nine runs on 12 hits and seven walks. They did leave 18 men on base, but were 4-12 with runners in scoring position. If a team averaged eight runs a game, they would probably win 150 games in a season, give or take one or two games. Unless, of course, the pitching staff decides to celebrate Christmas in September by giving away runs.

Now, the bad stuff.

Through four innings, Angels starter, Jason Vargas, had allowed three runs. Kind of meh, but not terribly bad, especially when you consider how hot the offense has been. But then came that fifth inning. That evil, evil fifth inning. The fifth inning went something like this:

Single
Single
Out
Single
RBI Single
Hit By Pitch
Pitching Change
Grand Slam
Out
Walk
Out

Five of the six runs scored that inning were charged to Vargas. Three of them scored on the Matt Dominguez grand slam that was given up by Cory Rasmus on the first pitch that he threw in his appearance. Thanks, Cory.

Take out that fifth inning, and it’s an 8-3 drubbing with the Angels coming out on top. Instead – even though the Angels plated runs in the sixth and the eighth – it’s the Astros who are enjoying the high-fives and butt-slaps before hitting the showers while the Angels are simply hitting the showers.

Can the Angels get back on track quickly? We’ll find out tomorrow when the Angels send Jered Weaver to the mound against Brett Oberholtzer at 4:10 PM PST. Light up the fail-o. The Astros practically own the Angels.