Angels' bats show fight vs. heavy-hitting Astros

HOUSTON -- The Angels’ offense woke up Friday night, led by the bottom of their lineup, but an early defensive miscue contributed to a big inning that was too much for Los Angeles to overcome.

Eric Wagaman had three hits -- and the bottom four of the Angels’ lineup had eight of their 13 hits -- in a 9-7 loss to the Astros at Minute Maid Park.

Jack López had two RBI singles, Matt Thaiss had a two-run single and Wagaman had an RBI single and an RBI double.

“That’s what you have to do,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “The way they swung the bats on us and put runs up in bunches, we had to put runs on the board to stay in the game, and they did that. I’m proud of the way we fought.”

Wagaman rebounded from a three-error performance on Thursday to have his second three-hit game in his first 10 career games.

“Days like yesterday I feel like obviously happen to everyone,” Wagaman said. “As long as we can limit that and bounce back the next day, I think that’s super important. I’m glad that we bounced back from that.”

Wagaman credited a better approach at the plate for his performance.

“That’s what he’s supposed to do,” Washington said. “I wanted him to know that we have confidence in him. He went out there and did a great job.”

Kevin Pillar hit a home run to lead off the seventh. Pillar was reinstated off the injured list Friday and inserted into the starting lineup less than an hour before first pitch, after Jordyn Adams was scratched with right knee soreness.

Washington said, “We didn’t want it to become something else, so we took him out of the game.”

The Angels finished 6-for-13 with runners in scoring position, and they scored their most runs since scoring 10 in a win over the Dodgers on Sept. 4, but the Angels' pitching staff struggled early.

Tyler Anderson was tagged for six runs (three earned) on eight hits with four strikeouts in a season-low 2 2/3 innings. It was Anderson’s shortest start since lasting 1 2/3 innings against the Mariners on Oct. 3, 2021.

“Obviously, not good,” Anderson said. “It really feels bad. Our bullpen’s been getting crushed lately, and so to have them cover that many innings, too, it hurts on top of that. It was really nice to see our offense put together really good at-bats and try to come back and give us a chance in that game.”

Anderson got into trouble in the second, loading the bases with nobody out, but he was able to escape only yielding one run.

The Astros got to Anderson in the third.

Alex Bregman hit a two-run home run, and Jake Meyers hit a three-run homer, but the damage could have been far less.

Following Bregman’s homer, Yainer Diaz singled, but Anderson had a chance to escape the inning on a comebacker from Jeremy Peña. Anderson was not able to catch it in the air, but he still had a chance to at least get Diaz at second. However, Anderson’s throw went into left field, and Diaz and Peña wound up on second and third. Meyers hit his home run two batters later.

“In my head, I wanted to let it drop and go first to second,” Anderson said. “Then I came up and looked at second for some reason, and López was like, ‘One, one.’ I tried to stop my throw and threw it. I didn’t stop it, obviously. I made a bad throw.”

Anderson said his pitches were in good spots, but his command was off.

“I feel like I made some mistakes there, and they hit the mistakes,” Anderson said. “They’re a team that’s a good offensive team and a good team in general, and when you make a lot of mistakes, you have to pay for it.”

Despite falling behind by five twice, the Angels continued to fight, and their bullpen kept them in it, throwing 5 1/3 innings and allowing three runs. Roansy Contreras threw three innings, surrendering one run.

“We just kept fighting,” Washington said. “That third inning got us where we had a double play and didn’t make it. Then we just couldn’t stop them right there, but we kept coming.”