WASHINGTON -- With Angels relievers overworked after a doubleheader on Wednesday, a 10-inning loss on Friday and a looming bullpen game on Sunday, the club desperately needed right-hander Griffin Canning to go deep in his start against the Nationals on Saturday night.

Canning did just that, going seven innings, but it wasn’t enough, as he couldn’t hold a two-run lead and allowed four runs in a no-decision. And to make matters worse, the game went to extra innings for a second straight night and reliever Roansy Contreras gave up a walk-off single to José Tena in a 5-4 loss at Nationals Park.

The Angels only had to use Hunter Strickland, Hans Crouse and Contreras out of the bullpen, which should help going forward, but the offense has been stuck in the mud with runners on base recently. They went just 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position and weren’t able to score in extras for the second night in a row.

“That was a tough one there,” manager Ron Washington said. “That’s the second one we had that we let get away. Canning did a heck of a job. He went out there in the seventh inning, and we were hoping he could get us through that inning. But they strung some stuff together and we went to extra innings. We had a runner at third with one out and the right part of the lineup up [in the 10th], but we got nothing out of it.”

Canning was efficient, throwing 88 pitches (65 strikes). He entered the seventh having thrown only 70 pitches and with the Angels up by two runs. But he couldn’t hold the lead, as he allowed three hits in the inning -- including a key RBI double from rookie James Wood, who also hit a solo homer in the second. Juan Yepez sparked the rally with a hard-hit single that got by shortstop Zach Neto, who said he misread the play and tried to attack it from the side instead of going right at it.

“I felt bad, and it’s one of those plays where maybe if I make it none of this happens,” said Neto, who went 3-for-5 with a home run at the plate. “But you learn from it and keep going as a group.”

Canning, though, did a good job of getting ahead of hitters, throwing first-pitch strikes to 19 of the 25 batters he faced and walking none. But he didn't strike out any batters and surrendered eight hits, including three extra-base hits that proved pivotal.

“It’s a tough way to finish it,” said Canning, who has a 5.11 ERA in 24 starts this year. “It leaves a bad taste in your mouth. But you have to keep trusting the process. There are a lot of positives you can take from it.”

One of the extra-base hits Canning allowed came on a Jacob Young double to open the third. Young eventually came around to score on a single from Alex Call to give the Nationals a 2-1 lead. But the Angels clawed back, tying it in the fourth on an RBI single from Brandon Drury before scoring twice in the fifth to take the lead.

Neto stayed hot and provided a go-ahead solo blast that came on a 2-2 changeup from lefty Patrick Corbin. The pitch was down and away, but Neto was able to drive it over the center-field fence for his 17th homer of the year. Kevin Pillar added an RBI double to pad the lead two batters later, but he was thrown out at home trying to score on a grounder to first from Anthony Rendon that quelled the rally.

The lead wasn’t to be, as Canning couldn’t protect it and the Angels couldn’t add on offensively. They squandered too many potential scoring chances in a game much like the series opener on Friday that saw them get held to two runs and go 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

Neto said the club is trying not to dwell too much on its struggles in key situations recently, as he believes it’s part of baseball and streaky hitting can go both ways.

“It's a tough game, and it’s part of it,” Neto said. “We’re gonna have our ups, we're gonna have our downs. And right now, we're just trying to find that -- that clutch hit. Not only everybody else, but myself as well. I'm trying to be consistent with that as well. It’ll come to us. It just didn’t go our way yesterday and today, but the great thing about this game is we have tomorrow.”