Introduction to the Game
The Angels matched the atmosphere with their performance again. After three straight victories against the Dodgers in an electric, sold-out Angel Stadium, they took a flight north, had an off day and got back in action in a minor league park against the A’s.
The Game Details
The Angels lost, 10-3, to the A’s on Friday night, in a game played before 8,484 fans at the Triple-A park the A’s have borrowed while their new home in Las Vegas is under construction. Angels shortstop Zach Neto said of going to such a different environment, “It’s tough. There’s no excuse for today. We came out flat, but at the end of the day, we’ve got tomorrow, and we’ve got a chance to win the series still.”
Neto’s Highlight
Neto provided the Angels’ biggest highlight of the game when he hit his 20th homer, which made him the fourth player in franchise history to have multiple 20/20 seasons. Neto, who has 21 stolen bases, joined Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani and Don Baylor. Neto said it was particularly meaningful because he missed the first few weeks of the season rehabbing from shoulder surgery. “Just coming back all the perseverance and everything I had to overcome, I’m pretty grateful to be able to do it,” Neto said.
Kikuchi’s Rough Game
On the mound, starter Yusei Kikuchi had a rough game, in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. Kikuchi gave up four runs in four innings, three of them on a Colby Thomas homer. Kikuchi hung a first-pitch curveball and Thomas blasted it 433 feet. Kikuchi gave up five hits and walked three. Interim manager Ray Montgomery said, “It just wasn’t a sharp outing for him. Very unusual start for him, given what we’ve seen all year.”
Kikuchi’s Inefficiency
When Kikuchi wasn’t throwing the ball over the middle of the plate, the A’s were spoiling his better pitches. Kikuchi needed 94 pitches to get 12 outs, an average of 7.8 pitches per out. The major league average is 5.5 pitches per out. Kikuchi said through his interpreter, “I think overall they had a really good approach today. Recently, I’ve gone to two strikes and had trouble putting the hitters away. I think I can work on my sequencing a little bit more.” The A’s fouled off 37% of his pitches, which is more than double the major league average of 18%.
Bullpen Struggles
The Angels were only down by one run when they took Kikuchi out of the game, but then right-hander Connor Brogdon gave back the two runs from Neto’s homer. Brogdon gave up three hits and a walk among the first six hitters he faced in the fifth. He had the same problem as Kikuchi. The A’s fouled off 28% of his pitches. Right-hander Carson Fulmer finished the fifth, allowing a run to score on an infield hit, and then saved the bullpen by soaking up the final 3⅓ innings of the game. He gave up four runs in the eighth inning.
Positive Notes
One of the positives for the Angels was center fielder Bryce Teodosio continuing to show off his range. Teodosio made a spectacular catch in the right-center field gap in the third inning. Teodosio also went into right field to catch what would have been a routine fly ball for right fielder Jo Adell. Teodosio fell just after making the catch, so Nick Kurtz easily scored from third on the play. Adell would have had a better chance to throw out Kurtz, or perhaps even hold him at third.
Conclusion
The Angels’ loss to the A’s was a disappointing one, especially after their recent success against the Dodgers. However, the team is looking to bounce back and win the series. With Neto’s impressive performance and Teodosio’s impressive range, the Angels have some positives to build on. The team will need to work on their efficiency and effectiveness on the mound, as well as their overall performance, to come out on top.
FAQs
Q: What was the final score of the game?
A: The final score was 10-3 in favor of the A’s.
Q: Who hit a home run for the Angels?
A: Zach Neto hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning.
Q: What was the attendance at the game?
A: The attendance was 8,484 fans at the Triple-A park.
Q: Who made a spectacular catch for the Angels?
A: Center fielder Bryce Teodosio made a spectacular catch in the right-center field gap in the third inning.
Q: What is the next step for the Angels?
A: The Angels will look to bounce back and win the series against the A’s.
