The Los Angeles Angels fell 7-1 to the Milwaukee Brewers at Tempe Diablo Stadium on Saturday in spring training play. Despite Zach Neto's 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI effort at the plate, the Angels could not overcome a sizable deficit. Grayson Rodriguez worked 3.1 innings on the mound, allowing 4 earned runs on 3 hits. The Angels finished with 9 hits on the day while holding the Brewers to 8. 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
Zach Neto was the key contributor at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI. The ability to drive the ball into the gaps stood out. It was the kind of day at the plate that suggests good things ahead for the Angels offense.
Vaughn Grissom chipped in, going 2-for-3, Raudi Rodriguez added to the attack, going 1-for-1, and Jorge Soler provided support, going 1-for-2. Despite the individual efforts, the offense could not generate enough sustained production.
On the other side of the diamond, Jesús Made led the Brewers offense with a 2-for-3 with three RBI day. Andrew Vaughn also contributed, going 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. Cooper Pratt added a 2-for-3 with an RBI effort as well. The Brewers offense proved to be too much for the Angels pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Grayson Rodriguez took the loss after having a rough go of it, working 3.1 innings while allowing 4 earned runs on 3 hits with two strikeouts. He threw 71 pitches in the outing. His outing provided the coaching staff with another data point as rotation and bullpen decisions loom.
The bullpen combined for 4.5 innings of work, allowing 3 earned runs while striking out four. 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.
Among the relievers, Brent Suter stood out with 1.2 innings of 3-run work, striking out two. The outing gave the coaching staff confidence in his ability to contribute this season.
How It Happened
Brewers got on the board first with three runs in the second inning. Brewers added a run in the third. The Angels responded with a run in the fourth. Brewers countered with a run in the fifth. Brewers plated two runs in the sixth. The Brewers were able to score in four separate innings, keeping the pressure on throughout the contest. The Angels out-hit Brewers 9-8 on the day, with 2 errors committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 6,786 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.