Phil Nevin ejected as Angels waste opportunities, fall to Yankees in extra innings
NEW YORK — The Angels lost the second game of the series against the Yankees on Wednesday, their offense coming up short with only two runs.
But it wasn’t for a lack of opportunity. The Angels went one for 15 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 on base in a 3-2 loss to the Yankees in 10 innings.
“We had a lot of chances tonight, myself included, at the plate,” Angels center fielder Mike Trout said. “Sometimes that’s how it goes. ... Try and win the series tomorrow.”
One of those last opportunities for the team came in the 10th inning, with Trout on third base and Hunter Renfroe at the plate. Renfroe hit a grounder between second and third, but Trout was held at third base instead of immediately breaking for home on contact.
“I gotta talk to the coaches on what we had on there,” Angels manager Phil Nevin said.
Nevin was ejected from the game in the ninth inning for arguing a strike call against Trout and was not in the dugout for the ending.
“It’s a tough call there with the infield in,” Nevin said “... I mean, would Mike have scored? You know, he’s one of the quicker guys in the game and he’s a good base runner. Would have liked our chances there.”
The Yankees’ Aaron Judge did it all for his team, blasting a two-run home run in the first, robbing Shohei Ohtani of a potential homer in the bottom of the inning and later making a sliding catch in the gap on Brandon Drury that would have given the Angels the lead.
Shohei Ohtani discussed hitting a home run on his first at-bat at Yankee Stadium Tuesday, his thoughts on the venue and more during an interview.
There were other pivotal moments that could have changed the outcome.
In the ninth, when Nevin was ejected, the Angels had two outs and a chance to load the bases on walks when Trout was called out on a check swing.
Nevin said he realized Yankees reliever Clay Holmes was struggling to throw strikes. Taylor Ward was hit by the second pitch Holmes threw to him. Ohtani then reached on a five-pitch walk.
There was the possibility Holmes might have ended up walking in the go-ahead run for the Angels.
“Just the situation and everything,” Nevin said. “I know who’s coming up [after Trout]. I know Holmes was having a hard time throwing strikes and [Anthony Rendon’s] not going to swing at a ball. At all.”
Trout was so certain that he did not swing that even before the call, he was making his way toward first base.
“I felt like I didn’t go and it’s tough,” Trout said. “Big moment. ... I think just recognizing pitches, that was an easy one to lay off. Shouldn’t have even been chasing it in the first place. So that’s on me.”
Trout was not the only one who thought he did not swing. Nevin came out of the dugout yelling before he was ejected by home plate umpire Lance Barksdale.
“I didn’t think Mike swung, from the side,” Nevin said. “Those are really tough for umpires.”
New York native Logan O’Hoppe grew up as a Yankees fan, and now he’ll be able to play in a stadium that holds a special meaning to him and his family.
The game eventually ended when Gleyber Torres hit a sacrifice fly to drive in the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning.
Earlier, it was the Ohtani-Judge show, with Judge proving to be the bigger problem for the Angels Wednesday night.
Ohtani hit the sixth pitch to him toward Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park in center field. The ball was poised to sail over the wall onto the protective netting. That is, until Judge showed up.
The Yankees outfielder ran back toward the center-field wall, leaped and extended his gloved hand. The ball didn’t find the inside of his glove, instead hitting the bottom, rolling down his arm and into his bare hand.
The crowd screamed, half thinking Ohtani’s shot went out, half thinking Judge robbed the home run. The latter were correct, proved right when Judge raised up his arm to show the ball.
“It’s not as fun on the other side of the field,” Nevin said. “I’ve seen that a lot. He’s a game changer on both sides of the ball. It’s why he’s an MVP.
“Love him, but not so much right now.”
A long rain delay shortened Shohei Ohtani’s start and Hunter Renfroe hit a three-run homer in the Angels’ 5-4 win over the Boston Red Sox on Monday.
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