Angels bullpen squanders big lead in fifth straight loss

ANAHEIM, Calif. — It looked like the Angels were about to snap a five-game losing streak Saturday, but the bullpen allowed a late rally to the Texas Rangers in a 9-8 loss at Angel Stadium.

The Angels led 7-1 at one point Saturday and entered the ninth inning with an 8-5 lead. Jose Quijada had three walks including one that scored a run before being lifted for Ryan Miller for his first career save attempt.

Miller allowed a 2-run double to pinch hitter Jonathan Ornelas and a throwing error allowed the go-ahead run to score.

It was the 17th blown save for the Angels in this nightmare of a season.

"He (Quijada) couldn't find the strike zone. If we could have thrown some strikes and put some balls in play, maybe good things would have happened," Angels manager Ron Washington said. "We are feeling the pressure, you can see it."

Rangers closer Kirby Yates pitched a perfect inning in the ninth capped by a strikeout of O'Hoppe.

Angels catcher Logan O'Hoppe had a good game going 4-5 with two runs scored, but was disappointed with the loss.

"I can't describe it. It's not just tonight too, it's been a couple nights where it's been like that," O'Hoppe said. "It's tough to deal with."

On the positive side for the Angels, the bats were hot and built what seemed to be a comfortable lead. The Angels had 13 hits and scored eight runs. 

Eight of the nine players in the Angels starting lineup had hits Saturday and six different players drove in runs. 

The highlight of the game was in the third inning when Gustavo Campero hit his first major league home run, a 3-run blast to left field to five the Angels a 6-1 lead. 

On the ensuing at bat, Niko Kavadas hit a solo home run to extend the lead to 7-1. It was the sixth time this season that Angels hitters have hit back-to-back home runs in a game.

In addition to the excellent offensive game for the Angels, starting pitcher Griffin Canning ended his season on a high note. Canning pitched five innings, allowed two runs on four hits with four strikeouts.

Canning pitched a career-high 32 games this season and had a career-high in innings pitched with 171.2 innings. He was in line for the win when he left the game but was denied his career-high seventh win. 

He is under contract for next season but had the highest ERA of any qualified pitcher in the American League and the third highest in the major leagues. However, his last three starts of the season were solid and may give Canning some confidence heading into the offseason.

"I'm always trying to look at the positives," Canning said. "Good couple ones to build off of and take into the offseason."

Michael Stefanic drove in the first run for the Angels on a ground rule double in the second inning. Taylor Ward and Jack Lopez also drove in runs in the second inning to put the Angels ahead 3-1. 

Eric Wagaman drove in a run on a RBI fielder's choice in the sixth inning. It was the tenth RBI of the season for Wagaman in just 17 games. 

Logan O'Hoppe went 4-4 for the Angels and scored two runs. 

Nathaniel Lowe hit a solo home run off Canning in the second inning and Carson Kelly drove in a run on a groundout in the fourth. 

Wyatt Langford hit a home run off Hunter Strickland in the sixth inning. Lowe and Jonah Heim drove in runs on extra base hits in the eighth inning off Brock Burke. 

The Angels wrap the season Sunday in a day game against the Rangers. Jack Kochanowicz will pitch for the Angels against Nathan Eovaldi of the Rangers.