Canning's delivery adjustments key solid outing, Halos' series win

ANAHEIM -- It’s been a season full of inconsistencies for right-hander Griffin Canning, but he bounced back from a rough outing against the Rockies and turned in a strong showing against the Mets on Sunday.

Canning dealt with a high pitch count but allowed two runs (one earned) over five innings to help the Angels to a 3-2 win to clinch the series victory at Angel Stadium. Canning had trouble with his control, walking four, but made up for it by allowing just three hits and striking out a season-high eight batters. He credited a change in his mechanics for his success, as he felt hitters were seeing what was coming because he separates the ball from his glove early in his delivery.

“It was significantly better today,” Canning said. “Mentally, just, in a good spot. Felt like I had good rhythm, just on the same page with [catcher] Matt [Thaiss]. And obviously I can clean up some of those walks and some deeper counts, but overall, I feel pretty good about it.”

Canning improved to 4-10 with a 5.10 ERA in 23 starts this year, as he had a slow start to the season before picking things up in May and June until scuffling again over the last month. He had a 7.43 ERA in 23 innings over five July starts, but he is looking to build on his performance against the Mets to finish the season strong.

Canning said he looked at some video and worked with the pitching coaches to alter his delivery and was pleased with the way it worked out.

“I think it was just hiding the ball a little bit better,” Canning said. “I feel like hitters have kind of been telling me, I’m probably just showing the ball for too long, just based on the swings they’re getting off on me. I feel like I was hiding the ball and making them make later decisions.”

The defense didn’t help Canning, however, making two errors behind him and three total on the afternoon. It started in the first on a throwing error from Thaiss on a stolen base attempt from Francisco Lindor. It allowed Lindor to reach third with one out, but Canning struck out J.D. Martinez looking before getting Pete Alonso to ground out to end the inning.

He wasn’t as fortunate in the second, when Nolan Schanuel made an error with two outs and couldn’t handle the throw from shortstop Zach Neto. The Mets capitalized after a walk from Jeff McNeil, as Harrison Bader drove in the game's first run on an RBI single.

The Angels rebounded in the bottom of the frame, scoring on a wild pitch from Jose Quintana and a go-ahead sacrifice fly from Thaiss. They added another run in the third on a sacrifice fly from Kevin Pillar to give Canning a two-run cushion.

He settled down in the third and fourth innings, facing the minimum despite walking Martinez with one out in the third. He was aided by a double play from Alonso to get out of the jam.

But things got dicey in the fifth, when he gave up a leadoff double to McNeil and an RBI single to Lindor. Lindor went to second on the throw and Brandon Nimmo walked to put two on with one out. But manager Ron Washington stuck with Canning with Martinez and Alonso due up after a mound visit.

“I point-blank asked him if he had this and he said, ‘Yeah,’” Washington said. “I told him, ‘I’m not asking you to say yeah because it’s the right thing to say. I need to know if you have this.’ But the guys chimed in and he said he got it. He had to go through J.D. Martinez and Alonso and he did it, so he deserved the victory.”

Canning was at 93 pitches, but he got Martinez to fly out to right on a 1-1 fastball at the bottom of the zone before getting Alonso to line out to right on a first-pitch fastball down the middle. It ended Canning's outing on a strong note and the bullpen did the rest.

Relievers Ben Joyce, Hans Crouse and Matt Moore were unavailable, so José Marte threw two innings, Mike Baumman hurled a scoreless frame thanks to a huge double play and Roansy Contreras picked up his second save of the year.

“They did a tremendous job,” Washington said. “Before the game, I stopped all three and asked them if they were ready to finish the game. But it worked out.”