Tyler Anderson leads Angels to series victory in Houston – Daily News

Angels starting pitcher Tyler Anderson throws during the first inning against the Astros, Wednesday, May 22, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

HOUSTON — When Tyler Anderson looked at his performance last year, it wasn’t just the points he allowed that frustrated him.

These are the innings he threw. Or the lack of.

“I felt like last year I would go four or five innings every start,” Anderson said, “and I took that personally.”

It’s been a dramatic reversal this season. With eight innings in the Angels’ 2-1 win over the Houston Astros on Wednesday afternoon, Anderson has pitched at least seven innings in half of his 10 starts.

The first Angels starter to work eight innings this season, Anderson reduced his ERA to 2.52.

The Angels needed everything he gave them in this game, as the bullpen was exploited in two recent extra-inning plays, and the offense left little room for error, failing to only two points on Kyren Paris’ first career circuit.

“It all started with TA,” manager Ron Washington said. “He’s showing what he’s about to lead.” … I can’t say enough about what he’s done, what he’s done and what he’s done in the past. So it’s very important for our young pitchers to see what it’s like to go out there and leave everything you have on the field. He did it for us today. And that gave us the opportunity to win.

This victory allowed the Angels (20-30) to win a second consecutive series during the trip against the Texas Rangers and the Astros.

The Angels, however, come home with a problem that threatens to disrupt all good feelings.

Shortstop Zach Neto exited the game in the fifth inning with right elbow soreness. Neto said he felt something during a throw to home plate, then later in the inning he threw a high throw to first. This made him realize that something was wrong enough for him to get out of the game.

Neto said he had elbow problems when he was young, but it hasn’t been a problem for years.

“There’s a little bit of concern,” Neto said, “but I trust what the training team has for me. They say it’s not too much of a concern.

Neto is expected to undergo some testing before the Angels return to action Friday at home.

Angels manager Ron Washington escorts Zach Neto off the field after the shortstop injured his right elbow during the fifth inning against the Astros, Wednesday, May 22, 2024, at Minute Maid Park in Houston. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

His absence would be a big blow to the Angels defense, and he’s also hitting better in recent weeks.

The Angels’ offense has been hot and cold lately, and on Wednesday all the hitters could muster was Paris’ blowout.

The 22-year-old infielder smoked a drive off the scoreboards over the fence in right center. He left the bat at 106.9 mph.

“Wow, what a home run,” Washington said. “The kid has it in him. He’s young. He’s still learning. Once he understands what he can do, he will become a good baseball player. And right now, he’s in the right place to learn how to play, with the LA Angels.

Paris hit 14 home runs last season in Double-A, but it took him 79 major league plate appearances to get one.

“It was amazing,” he said. “It was a special moment, being able to put the team over the top and lead to a win and a series win.”

After the circuit, it was mainly up to Anderson to give the Angels this victory.

He needed just 95 pitches to maneuver the Astros’ dangerous lineup, striking out four and walking two.

Anderson allowed just one hit and one walk in 12 plate appearances against Jose Altuve, Kyle Tucker, Yordan Alvarez and Alex Bregman. The hit was a double by Alvarez in the first inning that could have been caught by left fielder Taylor Ward.

“These guys have given me fits in the past,” Anderson said. “Today I just came out and attacked. Whatever happens, don’t give in on any ground, especially against the top three or four.

In the eighth, just after Anderson walked Tucker to put the tying run on base, Washington came to the mound.

“He yelled at me before I even crossed the line: ‘I got it,’” Washington recalled.

Anderson put Alvarez on a grounder – a nice play by second baseman Luis Guillorme – and Bregman hit a line drive to left field.

Washington then handed the ball to right-hander Luis Garcia in the ninth. Even though it was Garcia’s fourth game in five days, Washington said he didn’t throw as many pitches so he felt he was his best option to close out the game.

Garcia pitched a perfect inning, with two strikeouts, to send the Angels to their fifth win in the last seven games. Both losses came in extra innings.

“When you go out there and process the game, good things start to happen,” Washington said. “And I never doubted that my young team would start to come together. They start putting it all together and start believing it. I liked the way they played baseball the last eight or nine games.

Related Posts

E-cigarette industry leaders want Prime Minister Anwar to stop new regulations and give the industry more time to transition

MISSING TEENAGE ALERT: Police are asking for help finding a 16-year-old runaway teen

Investigation underway after body found in Jefferson County