Read the Angels side (the whole game, score included)
Los Angeles Angels at Washington
This is Missed It. Los Angeles Angels at Washington, Friday, September 11, 81 and partly cloudy at Nationals Park, with the Angels. You missed it? Here's the whole game, as it happened.
Pregame
We are on the road tonight, Los Angeles Angels against the Washington Nationals. It's a fresh start, a new game, and we've got our guys ready to go. The Angels are looking to make some noise early, and the Nationals are going to try and hold us off on their home turf. We've got the bats, we've got the arms, and we're here to get the job done. Let's get this one going.
Top 1: Trout Sets the Tone
The game starts, and it doesn't take long for us to make a statement. Top of the first, one out, bases empty. Mike Trout steps in, and he doesn't waste any time. He gets a pitch he likes, and he launches it. A fly ball to center field, and it just keeps carrying. That ball is gone. A home run. Just like that, we're up one to nothing. The dugout is alive, the energy is real, and we've got the early lead. That's exactly how you want to start a ballgame. One swing, and we're on the board.
Bot 1: Abrams Goes Down
The Nationals come up in the bottom of the first, and they're looking to answer back. They get something going, a couple of runners on with one out. CJ Abrams is at the plate, and this is a big spot for them. But our guy on the mound, he's not backing down. He works the count, and he gets Abrams to chase. Called out on strikes. The crowd groans, and we get out of the inning. That was a momentum swing right there. They had a chance, and we slammed the door. We're still up one to nothing, and we're feeling good.
Top 2: Quick Work
We come back up in the top of the second, and we're trying to build on that lead. Three batters come up, and we don't get much going. A couple of quick outs, and we're back in the dugout. It's not the inning we wanted, but we're still holding that one-run lead. Sometimes you just have to tip your cap and get back out there. The score is still one to nothing, and we're in control.
Bot 2: Held in Check
The Nationals get their turn in the bottom of the second, and they're trying to find something. Four batters come up, and they can't push anything across. Our defense is sharp, our pitcher is dealing, and we get out of the inning without any damage. The score stays one to nothing. We're doing what we need to do, keeping them off the board and letting our offense work.
Top 3: Nothing Doing
Top of the third, and we're looking to add on. Three batters, and we just can't get anything going. A few balls in play, but nothing finds a gap. We're back in the dugout, and the score is still one to nothing. It's early, and we're not panicking. We've got the lead, and we just need to keep pitching and playing defense.
Bot 3: Escaping Trouble
Bottom of the third, and the Nationals are starting to put something together. With two outs, they've got a runner on, and CJ Abrams steps in again. He's looking to make up for that strikeout. He gets a pitch he can handle, and he rips a sharp line drive to right field. Josh Lowe is there, but the ball gets down. Brady House scores, and Abrams is on second. Wait, no. The feed says Brady House to third. So we've got two on with two outs. This is a big moment. Dylan Crews is up, and he's got a chance to tie this game or worse. But our third baseman, Denzer Guzman, he's ready. Crews hits a ground ball, and Guzman fields it cleanly. He fires to first, and Vaughn Grissom makes the catch. Inning over. We escape. The score is still one to nothing, and we're breathing a little easier. That was a huge momentum swing for us.
Top 4: Stalled Again
We're back at it in the top of the fourth, and we're trying to give ourselves some breathing room. Three batters come up, and we just can't get anything going. The Nationals' pitcher is settling in, and we're having trouble making solid contact. We're back in the dugout, and the score is still one to nothing. We've got the lead, but we need to find a way to add on.
Bot 4: They Tie It Up
Bottom of the fourth, and the Nationals are starting to put some pressure on us. They get a couple of runners on with one out, and Jacob Young is at the plate. We need a strikeout, and we get it. He goes down swinging, and we've got two outs. But they're not done. Two outs, two on, and James Wood steps in. He's a big guy, and he's looking to do some damage. He gets a pitch he can drive, and he hits a ground ball to left field. Wade Meckler is there, but the ball gets through. Harry Ford scores, and Jorbit Vivas moves to second. The game is tied, one to one. That's a tough one. We had them, and they found a way to get a run across. Andrés Chaparro is up next, and he flies out to left. Inning over, but the damage is done. We're tied at one.
Top 5: Missed Chances
Top of the fifth, and we're looking to answer back. Four batters come up, and we get a little something going, but we can't push a run across. We're leaving runners on base, and that's going to come back to bite us if we're not careful. The score is still tied at one. We need to find a way to break through.
Bot 5: Quick Inning
The Nationals come up in the bottom of the fifth, and they're looking to take the lead. Three batters, and we get them out in order. That's a good inning for us. We're keeping the game tied, and we're giving ourselves a chance. The score is still one to one.
Top 6: Still Stuck
Top of the sixth, and we're trying to get something going. Four batters, and we just can't find a way to score. It's frustrating, because we're getting guys on base, but we're not getting that big hit. The score is still tied at one. We need to keep fighting.
The Sequence: The Game Turns
We're in the bottom of the sixth, and the game is tied at one. This is where things start to get decided. The Nationals come up, and we get them out in order. Three batters, no damage. We're still tied, and we're heading to the seventh. Top of the seventh, and we finally break through. No outs, two on, and Christian Moore steps in. He's been waiting for this moment. He gets a pitch he can handle, and he hits a ground ball to left field. Dylan Crews is there, but the ball gets through. Vaughn Grissom scores, and Moisés Ballesteros moves to second. We're up two to one. That's a huge hit. We've got the lead back, and we're feeling good. Bottom of the seventh, and the Nationals are trying to answer. Three batters, and we get them out. We're still up two to one. Top of the eighth, and we're trying to add on. Three batters, and we can't get anything going. We're still up two to one. Bottom of the eighth, and this is where it gets crazy. The Nationals load the bases with one out. Andrew Pinckney is up, and he hits a sacrifice fly to right field. Josh Lowe catches it, and CJ Abrams scores. Dylan Crews moves to third. The game is tied at two. Then, with two outs and two on, Jorbit Vivas steps in. He gets a pitch he can drive, and he hits a line drive to right field. Josh Lowe is there, but the ball gets down. Dylan Crews scores, and Yohandy Morales scores. Just like that, we're down four to two. That was a gut punch. Top of the ninth, and we're not done yet. Two outs, a runner on, and Christian Moore steps in again. He's already had a big hit tonight. He gets a pitch he can handle, and he hits a sharp fly ball to center field. Dylan Crews is there, but the ball gets down. Oswald Peraza scores. We're down four to three. But that's all we can get. The game ends, and we come up short.
Wrap-up
We fought. We really did. Mike Trout gave us the early lead, and we held on for so long. But that bottom of the eighth, that's where it slipped away. They got the big hits when they needed them, and we couldn't find a way to answer. Christian Moore gave us a chance in the ninth, but it wasn't enough. Final score, three to four. It's a tough one to swallow, but we'll be back at it tomorrow.
Outro
That was Los Angeles Angels at Washington, from the Angels side. This has been Missed It. Every game, both sides, at missed it dot net. Produced by James Barrett.