ANAHEIM, Calif. \u2014 In a matter of six pitches, the wheels fell off for the Angels.<\/p>\n
Left-hander Drew Pomeranz<\/a> was tasked with facing the top of the Blue Jays\u2019 lineup in the eighth inning in a tie game, and after retiring the leadoff hitter and getting the next batter to two strikes, things went south fast.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Pomeranz proceeded to give up three runs over the next six pitches and earned the loss in the Angels\u2019 4-2 loss against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n He had second baseman Ernie Clement<\/a> down in the count, but Clement took Pomeranz\u2019s 2-2 knuckle curve that was well below the strike zone and hit a double to left field. With first base open, the Angels opted to intentionally walk the ever-dangerous Vladimir Guerrero Jr.<\/a> to avoid his bat and to create a chance for a double play.<\/p>\n Pinch hitter Lenyn Sosa<\/a> then sharply lined a 1-1 fastball that didn\u2019t get as high as Pomeranz wanted off the bottom of the wall in right field to score both runners. Two pitches later, designated hitter Eloy Jim\u00e9nez<\/a> grounded a ball through the right side to score the third run of the inning.<\/p>\n \u201cWe like (Pomeranz) against their best guys,\u201d manager Kurt Suzuki<\/a> said. \u201cAnd he really executed the pitch. Clement did a good job hitting a ball for a double. You walk Vlad, and Sosa hit that ball to the gap it was a good piece of hitting. Jim\u00e9nez rolled on right through the right side. I felt like (Pomeranz) threw the ball good. It’s just one of those nights.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n The Angels tried a late rally of their own in the ninth as Blue Jays<\/a> closer, right-hander Jeff Hoffman<\/a>, was also tasked with facing the top of the order.<\/p>\n Center fielder Mike Trout<\/a> delivered a one-out single to put the wheels in motion, and Hoffman kept them spinning with his own mistakes.<\/p>\n Hoffman proceeded to hit right fielder Jo Adell<\/a> and designated hitter Jorge Soler<\/a> in consecutive plate appearances to load the bases. He then allowed an RBI single to pinch-hitter Yo\u00e1n Moncada<\/a> to make it a two-run game.<\/p>\n Manager John Schneider saw enough and went to the bullpen to bring in right-hander Louis Varland<\/a>, who got first baseman Nolan Schanuel<\/a> to ground out into a double play to end it.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n It was too little, too late for the Angels\u2019 bats, as they didn\u2019t get a runner into scoring position until the fifth inning and wouldn\u2019t have another until the ninth. After tearing the cover off the ball in their recent road trip, the Angels have now scored just six runs in their last four games.<\/p>\n