Slumping Angels hitters come up empty in support of Patrick Sandoval - OCRegister

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• Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Patrick Sandoval throws to the Texas Rangers in the first inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani swings at a pitch from Texas Rangers’ Edinson Volquez in the sixth inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020. Ohtani grounded out to first in the at-bat. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

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• Texas Rangers relief pitcher Joely Rodriguez, left, turns the ball over to manager Chris Woodward, right, as first baseman Todd Frazier, rear, and catcher Robinson Chirinos, front, look on in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

• Texas Rangers right fielder Joey Gallo reaches up to field a fly out by Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani in the ninth inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

• Texas Rangers’ Willie Calhoun (5), Joey Gallo, center, and catcher Robinson Chirinos celebrate the Rangers’ 2-0 win in a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

• Texas Rangers’ Willie Calhoun (5), Joey Gallo, center, and catcher Robinson Chirinos, right, celebrate their 2-0 win in a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani follows through on a fly out to right in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

• Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Felix Peña (64) works against the Texas Rangers in the eighth inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

• Texas Rangers’ Elvis Andrus, center left, greets Joey Gallo (13) at the top of the dugout after Gallo hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Albert Pujols follows through on a single to left as Texas Rangers’ Robinson Chirinos looks on in the fourth inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

• Sun light falls across the infield as Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Patrick Sandoval winds up to deliver to the Texas Rangers in the fourth inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

• Texas Rangers’ Joey Gallo follows through on a two-run home run that came off a pitch from Los Angeles Angels starter Patrick Sandoval in the sixth inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020. The Rangers’ Todd Frazier scored on the hit. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

• Texas Rangers’ Joey Gallo rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run off a pitch from Los Angeles Angels starter Patrick Sandoval in the sixth inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

• Texas Rangers first baseman Todd Frazier (21) reaches out for the throw to the bag as Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout (27) reaches for a single in the sixth inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani swings at a pitch from Texas Rangers’ Edinson Volquez in the sixth inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020. Ohtani grounded out to first in the at-bat. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

• Texas Rangers first baseman Todd Frazier (21) reaches out for the throw to the bag as Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout (27) reaches for a single in the sixth inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

• Sun light falls across the infield as Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Patrick Sandoval winds up to deliver to the Texas Rangers in the fourth inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Patrick Sandoval delivered the best outing of his young big league career and the Angels’ struggling hitters wasted it.

In a matchup with fellow Orange County product Kolby Allard, Sandoval gave up two runs in six innings in the Angels’ 2-0 loss to the Rangers on Saturday in Arlington, Texas.

Sandoval allowed a two-run homer to Joey Gallo, while Allard gave up just two hits in his five innings.

Allard, a former first-round pick, is certainly a talented pitcher, but he also ran into an Angels offense that has been scuffling.

The Angels finished with only four hits, and one of those was a ground ball that was originally ruled an error. They did not even get a runner to third.

“Offensively, you look at the numbers you know they’re going to get better,” Manager Joe Maddon said. “The guys are better than that. We’re better than that. So in the meantime you just got to be patient, support them and keep throwing them back out there.”

Expected to be one of the better offensive teams in baseball, the Angels are now hitting .216 with a .309 on-base percentage, both well below average. Most of their offense has come on homers.

Several of their middle of the order hitters have been off to particularly dismal starts: Anthony Rendon is hitting .111. Shohei Ohtani is hitting .132. Justin Upton, who was penciled in as the No. 5 hitter, is hitting .109 and has lost his everyday job.

“We got figure it out quickly, no question,” Maddon said. “But, a lot of these guys, we know they’re capable of more. And I think you’re gonna see that in the near future, but I love the fact that the pitching is coming around. Sandoval was outstanding tonight.”

While the latest loss dropped the Angels to 5-10 at the quarter-pole of this short season, Sandoval was definitely the positive in this game.

It was the first time in his 11 big league starts the 23-year-old had lasted longer than five innings.

“For me, this is what I thought we would see with him,” Maddon said. “I think he has this kind of potential. I don’t think that’s an outlier. I think that’s the kind of performance, he’s capable of on a more consistent basis.”

Sandoval was making his second start of the season after getting a late start in summer camp because of a bout with COVID-19 in June. He was limited to four innings in his first outing, but this time he set for a limit of about 90 pitches.

Sandoval needed 78 pitches to finish five innings, including a 20-pitch second when he pitched around two errors. He had faced the minimum six hitters in the fourth and fifth, so Maddon sent him back to the mound for the sixth. Maddon said his plan was to pull him if two of the first three hitters — right-handers — had reached base.

Sandoval retired Elvis Andrus and Isaiah Kiner-Falefa, the top two hitters in the order, on seven pitches. He then gave up a single to Todd Frazier and a two-run homer to Gallo.

“I felt good,” Sandoval said. “I felt I had command of my most pitches. I made one mistake and Gallo made me pay for it. But a lot of positives to take away from today.”

He also enjoyed getting to pitch against Allard, who he’s known since the two crossed paths often growing up in South Orange County. Sandoval pitched at Mission Viejo High and Allard at San Clemente High. They both graduated in 2015.

“It was awesome,” Sandoval of facing Allard. “Obviously he’s a great pitcher. You saw that tonight. He’s been doing that forever.”

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Slumping Angels hitters come up empty in support of Patrick Sandoval - OCRegister
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