The Los Angeles Angels lost a tough one at home to the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night. The Angels made a big comeback before the 7th inning, and they had a golden chance to tie the game or take the lead in the 8th inning as they had the bases loaded with one out. Los Angeles manager Ron Washington called for a suicide squeeze with Luis Guillorme up to bat, and Guillorme did not get the bunt down.
When a suicide squeeze is called, the only job that the hitter has is getting the bunt down. The runner on third is heading home as soon as the pitcher starts his pitch, and you can see what happens if the bunt doesn't get down. It doesn't matter where the pitch is, you have to get the bunt down. Luis Guillorme didn't do his job, and Ron Washington wasn't happy about it after the game.
“A sinker ball left-hander, I didn't want him to hit into a double play,” Ron Washington said after the game, according to an article from ESPN. “He can handle the bat. He didn't do the job, it wasn't anything I did wrong. He didn't get the bunt down.”
Guillorme did not do his job, Washington is correct about that, but it was still a bit surprising to see the suicide squeeze call because there was a force at home. It's easier for the defense to make a play at the plate in that situation because they just need to get the ball to the plate before the runner, and the catcher doesn't have to make a tag. Still, the play was called, and the Angels didn't execute. It ended up costing them the game as they failed to score in that inning and they lost 7-6.
This season is off to a rough start for the Angels and it's looking like they are going to have another disappointing year. They are currently 15-28, and they are failing to execute on things that major leaguers should have down.
Bad start plagued the Angels on Tuesday
The 8th inning execution definitely played a role in the loss on Tuesday night for the Angels, but that isn't the only time that things went south for them. The Cardinals got out to a fast start in the game as they were up 5-0 in the third inning. It's hard to win a ball game when you get down by that much that early.
Pedro Pages had a big hit in the third to make it 5-0, and Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol was fired up to see it.
“Pagés did an incredible job,” Oliver Marmol said after the game. “The double was fun to see. The dugout loved that. But also navigating that lineup and the different arms we used today. He blocked a ton and some really tough ones to in key moments.”
The Angels were able to come back from that 5-0 deficit as they ended up tying the game at five, but they seemed to be out of gas after that, and the Cardinals went on to win the game.
Follow Us
Subscribe