Angels fall to Guardians, slip to 52-80
The Angels dropped a 4-2 decision to Cleveland at Angel Stadium, their third loss in the last five, while Yusei Kikuchi rejoined a rotation now missing Nolan Schanuel and Wade Meckler.
Klassen's line not enough in a 4-2 loss
Guardians2-4The Angels lost 4-2 to the Guardians at Angel Stadium on August 24, the finale of the series and the third defeat in their last five games (2-3). George Klassen started and worked 5.1 innings, allowing 6 hits and 2 earned runs while walking 3 and striking out 3, but the bullpen and offense couldn't turn that into a result.
It capped a stretch that also included an 18-3 win over Houston on August 20 and a split of a three-game set in Texas — a 1-2 loss, a 3-0 win and a 3-5 loss to the Rangers before Cleveland came to town.
Recent News
Yusei Kikuchi returned to the Angels' rotation on August 23 after close to four months on the injured list, per MLB Trade Rumors. The same day, MLB Trade Rumors reported the club had activated him off the 60-day IL.
The rotation move came as the Angels' lineup lost pieces: Nolan Schanuel and Wade Meckler both went on the IL on August 22, per MLB Trade Rumors, with Schanuel's 10-day stint retroactive to August 21 for a right intercostal strain. Jo Adell, back at Angel Stadium, drew a warm reception from the home crowd, according to Foul Territory.
After close to four months on the injured list, Yusei Kikuchi returns to the #Angels rotation: t.co/mGd5JTBufc
Upcoming
The Angels host the Guardians tonight, sending Walbert Ureña (8-9, 2.80 ERA) to the mound against Gavin Williams (12-7, 3.72 ERA). Ureña's last outing was a loss to Houston in which he allowed 3 earned runs over 5 innings; Williams beat San Francisco in his last start, striking out 11 over 5.2 innings.
Cleveland is favored, and the market's total points to a low-scoring game — a read that lines up with two starters who've missed bats and kept the ball in the park all season. For the Angels to beat the number, Ureña needs to hold down a Guardians lineup that's already seen the better of this series, while an offense that's managed just 2 and 3 runs in its last two home games finds a way to scratch across more than that against Williams.