Angels lose again after Patrick Sandoval, Tanner Bibee duel
Josh Naylor's second eighth-inning home run in two days won it for the Guardians after ex-Mission Viejo High teammates Sandoval and Bibee pitched well.
CLEVELAND — Two former Mission Viejo High teammates battled deep into the Angels’ third game of their series against the Guardians at Progressive Field.
Angels left-hander Patrick Sandoval and Guardians right-hander Tanner Bibee, who were high school teammates in 2015, each pitched until the eighth inning Sunday before first baseman Josh Naylor hit a three-run home run to put Cleveland ahead in a 4-3 victory.
Naylor’s shot broke a 1-1 tie and came off closer Carlos Estévez, who relieved Sandoval, and made this the second straight game he hit a go-ahead three-run home run in the eighth. He did the same off Ryan Tepera on Saturday to help the Guardians come back from a four-run deficit and steal a win.
Sandoval allowed a run in the second inning but kept the scoreboard clean until he was removed in the eighth inning prior to Naylor’s home run. He and Bibee both lasted 7 2/3 innings, and Sandoval allowed five hits with one two earned runs — both coming on Naylor’s home run after he left the game but yielded two baserunners — and five strikeouts.
Bibee was perfect through the first four innings and faced the minimum through the seventh inning. He allowed just two hits and one run with seven strikeouts and no walks.
The Angels didn’t scratch a run on Bibee until the eighth inning, when left fielder Taylor Ward recorded his second hit against him. First baseman Brandon Drury was then hit by a pitch in the next at-bat, and catcher Matt Thaiss grounded into a fielder’s choice at second to advance Ward to third with one out.
Gio Urshela sent Ward home on a bloop fly ball to right field that Will Brennan couldn’t catch in a sliding attempt near the foul line. Thaiss was thrown out at second on the play, and that led Guardians manager Terry Francona to pull Bibee for right-hander James Karinchak, who escaped the inning without further damage.
Naylor’s home run, however, doomed the Angels for the second straight game — and unraveled the solid work Sandoval managed against his Mission Viejo pal.
The Angels mounted a comeback in the ninth inning against Guardians All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase but couldn’t close the gap. Shortstop Zach Neto doubled to lead off the inning and scored after Mickey Moniak and Shohei Ohtani singled in the inning.
Ohtani stole second base to put the tying run in scoring position, but he was tagged out when Ward sent a ground ball to José Ramírez, who tagged out Ohtani on the basepath. Moniak scored on the play to close the deficit to 4-3 with two outs.
First baseman Brandon Drury grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the game.
The Angels still haven’t won a series in Cleveland since 2013.
More to come on this story.