The Angels historically bad start to the season continued Saturday in a 13-4 drubbing at the hands of the Baltimore Orioles.
This is the first time the Angels have allowed at least 10 runs in their first two games of the season. The Angels have a -17 run differential which is the worst through two games in franchise history.
Baltimore scored 9 runs in the sixth inning and batted around to put the game away. The Orioles sent 9 hitters to the plate before the Angels could get an out and all 9 scored.
Starting pitcher Griffin Canning struggled mightily in the first inning Saturday but was solid for the rest of his outing up until the sixth inning.
Canning pitched five-plus innings, allowed seven hits with five runs and had a pair of strikeouts. He allowed a leadoff home run to Orioles star Gunnar Henderson and a run-scoring double by Ryan Mountcastle to give the Orioles an early 2-0 lead.
Mountcastle hit another RBI double for the Orioles in the third inning to increase the lead to 3-0.
A bright spot for the Angels Saturday was the performance from Taylor Ward. Ward hit a solo home run in the fourth inning to cut the Orioles lead to 3-1. He was 2-4 with two runs scored and two runs batted in.
Angels manager Ron Washington showed confidence in Canning allowing him back out for the sixth inning despite a high pitch count. Canning allowed walked Mountcastle and allowed a single to Ryan O’Hearn before being lifted for Luis Garcia.
Then disaster struck for the Angels. RBI single from Austin Hays, RBI double by Cedric Mullins, two RBI single by Jordan Westburg.
Guillermo Zuniga came into the game and promptly allowed a two-run triple to Henderson, a walk to Adley Rutschman and a three-run home run to Anthony Santander to make the score 12-1.
The Angels lineup had trouble once again against Orioles young starter Grayson Rodriguez. Rodriguez allowed four hits in six innings with one run and 9 strikeouts.
Rodriguez had a game-high 15 swing and miss pitches, 9 of them coming off his change up.
The Angels did manage to muster up some offense in the ninth inning. Jo Adell hit a leadoff triple off Orioles lefty Cionel Perez. Ward drove in Adell with a single and Perez left the game with back soreness.
Mike Baumann came into the game cold for the Orioles and the Angels took advantage. Brandon Drury hit a single and Nolan Schanuel extended his on-base streak to 31 games with a run-scoring single to first base.
Logan O’Hoppe hit a RBI single to complete a solid day going 2-3 with a RBI and a walk.
The Angels will look to avoid a sweep Sunday with Reid Detmers taking the mound in his season debut. Yucaipa High School alumn Tyler Wells will start for the Orioles.
Detmers has been excellent against the Orioles in his career allowing just three runs in 17.2 innings with 16 strikeouts.
