ARLINGTON -- Mike Trout returned to the lineup after missing three games with a right groin strain, but it wasn’t enough, as Angels pitchers struggled to keep the Rangers off the basepaths in a 12-7 loss on Monday night at Globe Life Park.

The Angels scored three times in the first inning, keyed by a two-run homer from Brian Goodwin, but right-hander Trevor Cahill couldn’t protect the lead and the bullpen scuffled. Angels relievers came into the game with a combined 2.08 ERA that was the second-best mark in the Majors, but the relief corps combined to surrender seven earned runs in four frames to see that figure rise to 2.98. The loss dropped the Angels back down to .500 at 8-8 on the year.

“They’ve got a powerful lineup,” Cahill said. “In this park, the wind is blowing out pretty good. They’ve got a good approach here at their park. Team scores three in the first, you feel like you just got to pitch decent and hopefully be in line for a [win]. But it’s just tough.”

Here are three observations from the loss in the series opener:

Cahill turns in worst outing of young season
Cahill entered with a 3.50 ERA in three starts, but he ran into trouble in each inning he pitched on Monday. He escaped a jam in the first inning but wasn’t quite as fortunate in the second and third. Cahill gave up a run in the second after surrendering a leadoff double to Asdrubal Cabrera, who reached third on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI groundout from Isiah Kiner-Falefa.

But it imploded in a three-run third inning, as Cahill served up a solo homer to Shin-Soo Choo to open the inning before allowing a single to Danny Santana, who promptly stole second and went to third on a groundout. Cahill had a chance to escape with minimal damage after Nomar Mazara popped up down the first-base line with one out, but it dropped in front of Albert Pujols, as catcher Kevan Smith remained near home because there was a runner at third.

It proved costly, as Mazara then brought home a run with an RBI groundout before Joey Gallo connected on his fifth homer of the year and his fourth against the Angels.

“I think just the stuff wasn’t as good,” Cahill said. “I feel like I threw a lot of strikes, just wasn’t able to put anybody away. 3-2, I was just trying to throw a strike to Gallo. I hadn’t thrown him a sinker yet.”

Cahill got through four innings, but even his final frame featured two walks and he was helped by an interference call at first base. Cahill was charged with four runs on five hits and two walks over four innings to see his ERA rise to 4.50 on the year.

“It didn’t look like he wasn’t as sharp as he had been in his previous outings,” Angels manager Brad Ausmus said. “But he always battles, so I don’t expect it to be any issue going forward. I think it was just a night where he was kind of rusty.”

Bullpen can’t keep Angels in it
When Cahill departed, the game was tied at 4, as Tommy La Stella singled home a run in the third inning. But reliever Cam Bedrosian, who came in with a 2.70 ERA in 6 2/3 innings and had retired 21 of the 28 batters he faced this year, like Cahill, had his worst outing of the season.

Bedrosian allowed four runs (three earned) while recording two outs in the fifth inning. Gallo again did damage against the Angels, beating their infield shift with an RBI single to left field with two on and nobody out. Bedrosian then got two quick outs, but Kiner-Falefa singled to right to bring home two runs, as Kole Calhoun was charged with an error on his throw home that got past Smith. Delino DeShields Jr. provided the fourth run of the inning with an RBI single.

“It’s frustrating,” Bedrosian said. “After an inning like that I just look back, and I had some good pitches, some bad pitches. Just bad luck.”

Fellow reliever Jake Jewell, recalled Friday from Triple-A Salt Lake, didn’t fare much better, surrendering three runs in the sixth, including a two-run homer to Asdrubal Cabrera that put the game away in the Rangers’ favor.

Goodwin stays hot
One of the bright spots was Goodwin, who hit his second homer of the season in the first inning and has proved to be a strong waiver claim for the Angels with Justin Upton out with left turf toe. Goodwin, wearing special Jackie Robinson-themed batting gloves and cleats in honor of Jackie Robinson Day, went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer, a sacrifice fly and hit by pitch and is batting .333/.386/.564 on the year.

“Since we’ve gotten him, he’s been one of our most consistent offensive performers,” Ausmus said. “He’s done a nice job, he really has.”