All of a sudden, that hot start to the Angels' road trip is looking like something in the distant past.
Remember the two victories over the Texas Rangers to start the three-city, 10-game trip? They have since dissolved into three consecutive losses, two of them walk-off defeats.
The Angels can point to a first-inning call that played a key role in their 10-inning, 8-6 loss to the Chicago White Sox at US Cellular Field, but it was their pitching that let them down again.
Starter Zack Greinke, making his second start since he was acquired in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers on July 27, gave up six earned runs in seven innings and failed to hold a 6-4 lead. David Carpenter, the last of four relievers, served up a two-run homer to Alex Rios in the 10th that ended the game. The tired and beaten-down bullpen has given up 15 runs in 8 2/3 innings over the past three games.
"I think the guys are fresh enough," manager Mike Scioscia told reporters after the game. "They might not be as crisp as you want, but those guys have obviously been out there a lot."
Somehow, Scioscia needs to figure out how to give his relievers a day or two off to recharge. A complete game would help, but that doesn't figure to happen Saturday when troubled starter Ervin Santana starts. He was limited to five innings in his last start Monday at Texas, and Scioscia hasn't said if he'll be allowed to pitcher farther against the Sox.
What the Angels need most of all is a win. Friday's loss pushed them six games behind the Rangers – and one game behind the second-place Oakland A's – in the American League West. Right now, their best hope for the playoffs appears to be a wild card.
Their latest defeat was doubly aggravating because of an umpire's call in the first inning that cause the Angels to play the game under protest. It happened with the bases loaded and no outs when Chicago's Paul Konerko hit a grounder to third.
Angels third baseman Alberto Callaspo threw home to nail Alejandro De Aza, and catcher Chris Iannetta relayed the ball to first in an attempt to get Konerko. But his throw was wide, pulling Albert Pujols off the bag.
Scioscia argued that Konerko ran inside the baseline for the last 45 feet, and video replays showed that's exactly what he did. According to Scioscia, the umpires agreed but refused to change the call.
"I think it's a very clear case in our favor," Scioscia said. "The umpire said Konerko running well inside the line. They all said that. But (crew chief Dana) DeMuth told me that's not the argument."
Scioscia said he was told by DeMuth that Konerko's path, although inside the baseline, didn't alter Iannetta's throw to first. As a result, they wouldn't change the call.
"They said they have the right not to call it, that it didn't affect the throw," Scioscia said. "But it's physically impossible from where he was running not to be in the throwing lane."
Even if the Angels win the protest – and at this point it's iffy at best – it's unlikely to cause league officials to order the game to be replayed.
According to the official rules of baseball, rule 4.19: "Even if it is held that the protested decision violated the rules, no replay of the game will be ordered unless in the opinion of the League President the violation adversely affected the protesting team's chances of winning the game."
The White Sox scored four runs in that inning, capped by a three-run homer by AJ Pierzynski. The Angels could certainly argue that the inning might have been over by then, but there's no way to know.
Bottom line: Their pitching didn't hold up, and even though they were strong offensively again, including homers by Mike Trout and Albert Pujols, they still lost. By the end of the night, the disputed non-call was a footnote.
