ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The good news for the Angels was that Griffin Canning finally changed course.
The bad news is it happened on a day they didn’t hit.
The Angels lost 2-1 to the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday afternoon, missing a chance to win the four-game series and wasting Canning’s encouraging outing.
Mike Trout produced the Angels only run, leading off the sixth inning with a walk. Trout stole second and third – giving him five steals this season – and he scored on a sacrifice fly.
The Angels managed just three plate appearances with a runner in scoring position all afternoon, including the one to end the game.
They had some hope when Miguel Sanó led off the ninth with an infield single. Two outs later, Luis Renigfo singled, sending pinch-runner Jo Adell to second. Brandon Drury then grounded out.
Canning, who brought a 9.88 ERA into the game, was much improved from his first three games, giving up just two runs in 5 1/3 innings despite a shaky start.
Canning allowed two runs within his first 17 pitches. He walked hitter Richie Palacios and then gave up a triple to Amed Rosario, who punched a line drive to right field on a 94 mph fastball off the outside corner. Rosario then scored on a sacrifice fly.
After that, though, Canning did not allow anything else. He gave up just three more singles, including an infield hit. He struck out four and didn’t walk anyone after Palacios.
Canning also had more velocity on his fastball, after starting the season down about 2 mph from last year. He regularly hit 94 mph in the first four innings, although the numbers dipped as he got deeper into the game.
More to come on this story.
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