Angels lose to Team USA in final WBC tune-up
THE GAME: The Angels lost, 6-0, in an exhibition game against Team USA in its final tuneup before the World Baseball Classic on Thursday in Tempe, Ariz. The game, which did not count in the official spring training standings, did not include the new MLB rules like the pitch timer or the shift restrictions.
PITCHING REPORT: Left-hander Tyler Anderson got through two scoreless innings but then couldn’t finish the third. Anderson gave up a Tim Anderson double and a single to the Dodgers’ Mookie Betts. After getting Mike Trout on a flyout, he walked St. Louis Cardinals star Paul Goldschmidt. The Cardinals’ Nolan Arenado then hit a grand slam. Anderson gave up two more singles and his day was over. Although Anderson knew he was facing a star-studded lineup, he said he tried not to think of it as more than a spring training game. “At the end of the day, you’re trying to get ready for a season,” Anderson said. “You’re not trying to be a hero in March. It’s kind of easy to kind of stay where your feet are and know that you’re just trying to get ready to go pitch in a season.” … Right-handed reliever Carlos Estévez pitched one perfect inning, with two strikeouts. Estévez began the spring with control issues because he was working on pitching more up in the zone, but he’s now had two scoreless outings in a row. … Left-hander Aaron Loup pitched a scoreless inning, with two strikeouts. … Right-hander Ryan Tepera gave up a run on a two-out single by the Dodgers’ Will Smith. The Kansas City Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. had led off the inning with a single and then stole second base with two outs. … Right-hander Ben Joyce pitched a scoreless inning, including facing Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber, Witt and New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso. The only baserunner reached on an error. He struck out Alonso. “You see big league hitters take not such good swings against him, that tells you a lot,” Angels manager Phil Nevin said. “We saw some good stuff for sure.”
HITTING REPORT: Taylor Ward had two singles. Although this game didn’t count officially in the Cactus League statistics, Ward is a combined 8 for 16 in exhibition games this spring. … Hunter Renfroe and Mickey Moniak were the only other major leaguers who had hits. … Adrian Placencia, up from minor league camp, also had a hit.
DEFENSE REPORT: Catcher Chad Wallach allowed a passed ball while Jimmy Herget was on the mound, as a run scored. Wallach also missed a foul pop-up, for an error. Wallach also threw out the Mets’ Jeff McNeil trying to steal second. … First baseman Taylor Jones bobbled a grounder and then made a bad throw to Joyce, covering the bag.
UP NEXT: Angels at Dodgers, Friday, noon PT, Camelback Ranch, Glendale, Ariz., Bally Sports West, 830 AM