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Angels done in by sloppy defense and anemic hitting in loss to A’s

July 4, 2024

The Angels’ Luis Rengifo, right, is checked by a member of the training staff as Manager Ron Washington, left, looks on after Rengifo injured his wrist on a foul ball during the ninth inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night in Oakland. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

Angels starting pitcher Davis Daniel throws to the plate during the second inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night in Oakland. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

Oakland A’s starting pitcher Joey Estes throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

The Oakland Athletics’ Brent Rooker breaks his bat while hitting a pop-up during the first inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Angels second baseman Brandon Drury catches a pop-up hit by the Oakland Athletics’ Shea Langeliers during the first inning on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Oakland A’s right fielder Lawrence Butler catches a fly ball hit by the Angels’ Matt Thaiss during the second inning on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Angels shortstop Zach Neto bobbles the ball before throwing to first base on a ball hit by the Oakland Athletics’ Zack Gelof during the second inning on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

The Oakland Athletics’ Lawrence Butler hits a single during the second inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

The Oakland Athletics’ Brett Harris runs to first after hitting a grounder to Angels starting pitcher Davis Daniel during the second inning on Wednesday night in Oakland. Harris reached first and Zack Gelof scored on a throwing error by Daniel. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

The Oakland Athletics’ Brett Harris, center, is tagged out by Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel, right, while attempting to steal second base during the second inning on Wednesday night in Oakland. Lawrence Butler scored on the play. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

The Angels’ Nolan Schanuel hits a single during the fourth inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

The Angels’ Luis Rengifo leans away from a pitch during the fourth inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Oakland Athletics shortstop Max Schuemann turns a double play after forcing out the Angels’ Nolan Schanuel at second during the fourth inning on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

The Oakland Athletics’ Zack Gelof walks to the dugout after being called out on strikes during the fourth inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Angels starting pitcher Davis Daniel throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

The Oakland Athletics’ Max Schuemann, left, runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

The Oakland Athletics’ Max Schuemann runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

The Oakland Athletics’ Max Schuemann celebrates after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

The Oakland Athletics’ Max Schuemann, center, is congratulated by teammates as he returns to the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

The Oakland Athletics’ Brent Rooker, right, runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the sixth inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

The Oakland Athletics’ Brent Rooker, left, runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the sixth inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

The Oakland Athletics’ Brent Rooker runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the sixth inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

The Oakland Athletics’ Brent Rooker, left, celebrates with Shea Langeliers after hitting a solo home run during the sixth inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

The Oakland Athletics’ Zack Gelof, left, tosses his bat after being walked during the sixth inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Angels manager Ron Washington, right, taps starting pitcher Davis Daniel, second from right, on the shoulder as he exits during the sixth inning of their game against the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

The Oakland Athletics’ Brett Harris hits an RBI single during the sixth inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Joey Estes pitches throws to the plate during the seventh inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Oakland A’s starting pitcher Joey Estes walks to the dugout during the seventh inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel is unable to catch a ball hit into foul territory by the Oakland Athletics’ Zack Gelof during the seventh inning on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Oakland A’s right fielder Lawrence Butler catches a fly ball hit by the Angels’ Mickey Moniak during the eighth inning on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Oakland A’s pitcher Joey Estes celebrates after getting the final out in the top of the eighth inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday night in Oakland. Estes held the Angels to five hits in a complete game 5-0 victory. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

Oakland A’s starting pitcher Joey Estes throws to the plate during the ninth inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Oakland A’s pitcher Joey Estes, center, celebrates with catcher Shea Langeliers, right, after he pitched a five-hit shutout in a 5-0 victory over the Angels on Wednesday night in Oakland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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OAKLAND — Zach Neto slapped his hand into his glove and then put both hands over his head, with a look of exasperation.

Another play that the Angels’ shortstop expected to make had eluded him, as a run scored in the sixth inning.

Neto’s defense has been one of the shining spots for the Angels during this frustrating season, but it was an issue in a 5-0 loss to the Oakland A’s on Wednesday night.

“Those are plays I should make,” Neto said. “Plain and simple. They’re plays I should make and I didn’t.”

The Angels also had to take Luis Rengifo out of the game with an injury after he fouled a ball off in the ninth inning. Rengifo, who told the Angels that he had hurt his wrist, was taken for imaging after the game. There was no immediate update on his status.

It was all part of an overall lousy night for the Angels, whose offense came up empty against right-hander Joey Estes. Estes brought a 5.24 ERA into the game, but the Angels had only five hits against him, pushing him to throw just 92 pitches in a complete game.

“I thought he was pretty good tonight,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “He was throwing his sweeper. Staying off the barrel of our bats, keeping us off balance. When we did center something, somebody was there making a play.”

The Angels, who had scored at least five runs in their previous eight games, weren’t going to win with that kind of offense, but the sloppy defense – which went beyond Neto – made it even worse.

The Angels were burned by their defense plays in the second inning, allowing the A’s to score two runs.

With one out, Zack Gelof hit a bouncer to Neto, who bobbled it. It was ruled an infield hit.

After Lawrence Butler lined a clean single into right, putting runners on the corners, right-hander Davis Daniel got a comebacker that should have been an easy, inning-ending double play. Instead, his throw was wide and got past second baseman Brandon Drury into the outfield, as a run scored.

Although the throw was slightly to the third base side of the bag, Washington said Drury should have been able to handle it.

“We’re in the big leagues,” Washington said. “That was a good throw. The second baseman has got to make an adjustment on that. … As long as that ball doesn’t touch the ground, we’ve got to make an adjustment and make the play.”

An out later, with runners still on the corners, Brett Harris took off from first to draw a throw from catcher Matt Thaiss. Butler came home from third. Neto looked home but determined that he didn’t have time to cut off the runner – a decision that Washington said was correct. Neto instead went after Harris for the final out, allowing the second run to score.

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In the sixth, Neto came up empty on an attempted sliding backhand stop of a grounder. It was clearly not an error, but Neto still reacted as if he expected to make the play, or at least knock the ball down to hold the runner at third. The A’s scored their fifth run on the play.

Neto also couldn’t glove a chopper in front of him in the seventh inning. That was again ruled a hit. The Angels escaped that inning without it costing them a run.

“A couple plays that were tough plays,” Washington said. “He just didn’t come up with them. Sometimes that happens.”

The defensive mistakes cost Daniel three of the five runs he allowed in 5⅓ innings. The other two were on homers, by No. 9 hitter Max Schuemann and Brent Rooker.

On the bright side, Daniel again pounded the strike zone. He threw a first-pitch strike to 15 of 24 of hitters, after doing it to 22 of 26 hitters last week.

Orange County Register

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Angels done in by sloppy defense and anemic hitting in loss to A’s

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