The Los Angeles Angels fell 8-6 to the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park on Wednesday in spring training play. Despite David Calabrese's 2-for-2 with a home run and three RBI effort at the plate, the Angels could not pull even when it mattered. Alek Manoah worked 4.0 innings on the mound, allowing 7 earned runs on 8 hits. The Cubs out-hit the Angels 14-7 on the day. The Angels will look to regroup as spring training rolls on. There is still time to work through the rough patches before the regular season arrives, and the coaching staff will use today's performance as a learning opportunity.
Key Performers
David Calabrese was the key contributor at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a home run and three RBI. The long ball provided a major boost to the offensive attack. It was the kind of day at the plate that suggests good things ahead for the Angels offense.
Jo Adell chipped in, going 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI, Jeimer Candelario added to the attack, going 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI, and Jose Siri provided support, going 1-for-1 with an RBI. Despite the individual efforts, the offense could not generate enough sustained production.
On the other side of the diamond, Carson Kelly led the Cubs offense with a 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI day. Moisés Ballesteros also contributed, going 2-for-3 with two home runs and two RBI. Pedro Ramirez added a 2-for-3 with an RBI effort as well. The Cubs offense proved to be too much for the Angels pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Alek Manoah took the loss after having a rough go of it, working 4.0 innings while allowing 7 earned runs on 8 hits with five strikeouts. He threw 85 pitches in the outing. His outing provided the coaching staff with another data point as rotation and bullpen decisions loom.
The bullpen combined for 3.3 innings of work, allowing 1 earned run while striking out eight. The relief corps kept the game within reach after the starter departed. Managing the bullpen workload is a key priority during the spring, and every outing helps the coaching staff gauge who is ready for high-leverage situations. Tyler Beede recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Sam Bachman stood out with 1.2 innings of 1-run work, striking out three. The outing gave the coaching staff confidence in his ability to contribute this season.
How It Happened
Cubs got on the board first with three runs in the second inning. Cubs added a run in the third. The Angels responded with a run in the fifth. Cubs countered with three runs in the fifth. The Angels struck back with a run in the sixth. Cubs answered with a run in the sixth. The Angels responded with a run in the eighth. The Angels pushed across three runs in the ninth. The Cubs were able to score in four separate innings, keeping the pressure on throughout the contest. Cubs out-hit the Angels 14-7, with 1 error committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 15,055 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
The Angels will regroup and get back to work in their next outing. While the final score was not in their favor, the exhibition season is about building toward the regular season, and this game provided useful reps for a roster still taking shape. The coaching staff will review the performance and make adjustments before the next time out.