Angels get solid pitching in a bullpen game, but lose again

ANAHEIM — The Angels are slogging toward the trade deadline, trying to compete while certainly aware that some of their best players could be gone any day.

The Angels’ 3-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday night was their eighth loss in the last nine games.

Left-hander reliever Samy Natera Jr. gave up the tie-breaking run on an eighth-inning single by Brice Turang.

They played the game amid a backdrop of Monday’s looming trade deadline, which is hanging over the clubhouse so much that the Angels’ scheduled starter, José Soriano, was scratched earlier in the day because he’s a trade candidate.

“You definitely know it’s there when something like that happens,” said Angels outfielder Jo Adell, another player who might be on the move. “Not really sure kind of the big picture of what’s going on. But, hey, it’s part of it. We’re at that point of the year where things are happening everywhere. You’re on your toes, definitely.”

The reason the Angels are discussing unloading players is, of course, because they have the worst record in baseball, at 42-69.

The most recent losing stretch is mostly because of the offense going dormant.

The Angels have scored just 42 runs in the past 16 games, losing 12 of them. They have hit .225 with a .625 OPS in those games.

On Saturday night they faced Brewers left-hander Robert Gasser, and they managed just one run in five innings against him. In the first inning, Mike Trout singled and he sprinted home on Jorge Soler’s bloop double into left field.

The Angels had just one more at-bat in the game with a runner in scoring position. Nolan Schanuel hit a soft grounder with two out and runners at first and second in the fifth.

“These guys, the Brewers can really pitch,” Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said. “They’ve got some good arms over there. They know how to mix and match and and things like that. (Catcher William) Contreras works well with those pitchers. They were executing pitches against us. We had a tough time mustering anything up.”

The Angels had five hits and they struck out 13 times.

“They can pitch,” catcher Travis d’Arnaud said. “They can play defense. They can hit. They’re a first-place team, playoff team. They did a tremendous job today.”

The poor offensive production spoiled a night when the Angels got good enough pitching, despite scratching Soriano.

Without Soriano on the mound, the Angels instead had left-hander Brent Suter start a bullpen game. Suter made it through two scoreless innings, despite walking the bases loaded in the second.

Next out of the bullpen door was right-hander Brett Kerry, who had just been promoted from Triple-A. Kerry, who made his major league debut earlier this summer, had been starting at Triple-A, so he was stretched out to go as long as he was effective.

Kerry gave up one run in four innings, on a homer from Marina High product Jake Bauers in the fourth inning.

Kerry gave up only two hits and he didn’t walk a batter. He struck out three.

“Moved his fastball in and out, was able to throw a slider to both sides, changeup to both sides,” d’Arnaud said. “Threw a couple sweepers. Left one arm side and Contreras had a nice double, but made the adjustment and had a good couple ones after that. I think he did a great job.”

After Natera gave up the go-ahead run in the eighth, right-hander Kirby Yates gave up a run in the ninth.