NEW YORK —This being the point in the season when Angels are effectively building toward 2024, they ought to be able to shrug off Sunday’s 3-2 loss to the New York Mets because of the performance of starter Griffin Canning.
Canning pitched seven strong innings, allowing only one run that came around because an infield hit and some aggressive baserunning by the Mets.
Luis Rengifo’s go-ahead homer in the top of the eighth had Canning in line for a victory until Matt Moore gave up a run in the eighth. Reynaldo López failed to retire anyone before giving up Rafael Ortega’s bases-loaded single in the bottom of the ninth.
“He was great today,” catcher Chad Wallach said of Canning. “Pounded the zone. All the stuff was really good. Really impressive.”
Canning did not allow a hit until the fourth inning, when he gave up three singles a run. With runners at first and second and two outs, Francisco Alvarez hit a bouncer up the middle.
Rengifo, the second baseman, made a diving stop and ended up on his back for a moment. When he lifted his head, he threw home, but too late to get the runner. Although it looked like Rengifo might have had a better chance to flip the ball to second to get slow-footed Daniel Vogelbach, Manager Phil Nevin didn’t blame Rengifo.
“That’s a really difficult play to get to second but your instincts tell you to go there,” Nevin said. “It’s just a great baserunning play to keep wheeling him around third.”
Canning tacked on three more innings after that, providing the Angels with precisely the kind of performance they needed. The bullpen was thin because starter Chase Silseth had to come out of Saturday’s game with a head injury in the fourth inning.
Canning threw 45 fastballs among his 94 pitches, which he said was the result of a good game plan with Wallach.
“Just pitching off the fastball,” Canning said. “I think me and Wally had a good idea of what they were looking for and we were able to throw what they weren’t looking for.”
It was Canning’s first start since July 25. He then spent two weeks on the injured list because of calf tightness. He had pitched twice in relief since.
For the season, Canning has a 4.38 ERA in a career-high 98-2/3 innings. Although he missed a season and a half with a back injury, Canning said he’s feeling good as he heads into the final month of the season.
“I had a little blip a few weeks ago but since then I feel pretty strong,” he said.
The Angels had hoped Canning could get through seven with a lead because they had only two high-leverage relievers available. Canning did his part, but unfortunately for the Angels neither Moore nor López did theirs.
Moore gave up a two-out RBI double to Pete Alonso in the eighth. First base was open, and Nevin said they considered walking Alonso.
“Before the at-bat we talked about being careful with him,” Nevin said. “Moorsey is someone who has been one of our best. We trusted him. It didn’t work out.”
In the ninth, López barely hit Alvarez with a pitch to lead off the inning. The Angels challenged the call. Wallach said he “didn’t hear anything,” and Nevin said he thought from his view of the replay that the ball hit Alvarez’s bat. The call stood.
D.J. Stewart then singled into right, and López walked Mark Vientos to load the bases. Ortega hit a liner to right. Hunter Renfroe made a lunge for the ball but couldn’t catch it, as the winning run scored.