Missed opportunities sink Angels against Guardians

Looking to force a rubber match, the Los Angeles Angels once again could not capitalize at the plate, falling 3-2 to the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Tuesday evening. The Halos are now 16-27 and 8-17 on the road.

Right-hander Walbert Urena and the rest of the Angels' pitching staff dealt a solid game overall, allowing just two earned runs. However, the Guardians still found a way to produce despite only four hits.

Angel Martinez got Cleveland on the board in the third with their only extra-base hit of the game, a solo home run that found the seats in right field. 

Martinez nearly had a second home run in the fifth inning, sending a long fly ball to right field. Much to his frustration, Jo Adell was able to make a leaping snag that denied the ball from exiting the park. 

Urena still conceded a run in the fifth despite not allowing a hit in the frame. After Daniel Schneemann reached base to start the inning on a walk, he advanced to second on a wild pitch and later tagged to third on a flyout from Martinez. Patrick Bailey hit a ground ball towards Nolan Schanuel at first, allowing Schneemann to score.

Exiting after five strong innings and allowing just three hits, Urena ultimately fell to 1-4 on the season. The 22-year-old has now strung together three quality starts in a row.

Adell and the Angels fought to earn a run back in the top of the sixth after Oswald Peraza earned his first-career triple on a ground ball down the right field line. Adell stepped up and shot a line drive to center field that was deep enough to score Peraza on a sacrifice fly.

After Cleveland added another run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly from Brayan Rocchio, second baseman Vaughn Grissom once again cut the deficit to one just a half inning later. He blasted his second home run of the season, a towering drive to center field against right-hander Franco Aleman.

The Angels could not mount a full comeback in the end, going hitless the rest of the way and dropping a second consecutive game to open the series. Tuesday's defeat marked the fourth time in the last five games that L.A. has scored just two runs or fewer (1-4 in that span). 

While the lineup managed to produce eight hits to Cleveland's four, a 0-8 performance with runners in scoring position significantly cost them. L.A. is now 5-17 across its last 22 games, hitting just .235 as a team during that span.

Trying to avoid a sweep in the series finale on Wednesday morning, the Angels will start left-hander Reid Detmers (1-3, 4.33 ERA). He will face Guardians' left-hander Parker Messick (4-1, 2.30 ERA), who has allowed the fewest hits of any Cleveland starter this season.

First pitch is scheduled for 10:10 a.m. PT.