Angels starting pitcher Tyler Anderson throws to the plate during the second inning of their game against the San Diego Padres on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The San Diego Padres’ Manny Machado hits a solo home run during the first inning of their game against the Angels on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The San Diego Padres’ Manny Machado hits a solo home run during the first inning of their game against the Angels on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The San Diego Padres’ Manny Machado watches the flight of his solo home run during the first inning of their game against the Angels on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The San Diego Padres’ Manny Machado watches the flight of his solo home run during the first inning of their game against the Angels on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The San Diego Padres’ Manny Machado runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of their game against the Angels on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels starting pitcher Tyler Anderson composes himself after allowing a long solo home run to the San Diego Padres’ Manny Machado during the first inning on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The San Diego Padres’ Manny Machado gestures as he runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of their game against the Angels on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The San Diego Padres’ Manny Machado celebrates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of their game against the Angels on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
San Diego Padres starting pitcher Matt Waldron throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the Angels on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels starting pitcher Tyler Anderson throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the San Diego Padres on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels starting pitcher Tyler Anderson throws to the plate during the second inning of their game against the San Diego Padres on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
San Diego Padres left fielder José Azocar, front, catches a fly ball hit by the Angels’ Zach Neto in front of center fielder Jackson Merrill, left, during the third inning on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
San Diego Padres left fielder José Azocar, right, catches a fly ball hit by the Angels’ Zach Neto in front of center fielder Jackson Merrill, left, during the third inning on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
San Diego Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth throws to first to complete a double play during the third inning of their game against the Angels on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
San Diego Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth throws to first after forcing out the Angels’ Jo Adell, left, at second during the third inning on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Angels’ Luis Rengifo runs to first after hitting a single during the fourth inning of their game against the San Diego Padres on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
San Diego Padres starting pitcher Matt Waldron throws to the plate during the fourth inning of their game against the Angels on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels designated hitter Willie Calhoun hits an RBI single during the fourth inning of their game against the San Diego Padres on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Angels’ Luis Rengifo, left, is greeted by Manager Ron Washington as he returns to the dugout after scoring on a single by designated hitter Willie Calhoun during the fourth inning of their game against the San Diego Padres on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Angels’ Willie Calhoun is congratulated after his RBI single during the fourth inning of their game against the San Diego Padres on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Angels first base coach Bo Porter looks toward second base during the fourth inning of their game against the San Diego Padres on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
San Diego Padres starting pitcher Matt Waldron throws to the plate during the second inning of their game against the Angels on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
San Diego Padres starting pitcher Matt Waldron walks back to the dugout after the fourth inning of their game against the Angels on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Angels starting pitcher Tyler Anderson throws to the plate during the second inning of their game against the San Diego Padres on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The San Diego Padres’ Ha-Seong Kim runs to first as he grounds out during the fifth inning of their game against the Angels on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The San Diego Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. stands in the dugout during the fifth inning of their game against the Angels on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe tags the San Diego Padres’ Jurickson Profar at home plate for an out during the sixth inning on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
San Diego Padres designated hitter Jurickson Profar, right, is tagged out at home by Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe during the fifth inning on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels relief pitcher Hunter Strickland throws to the plate during the seventh inning of their game against the San Diego Padres on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The San Diego Padres’ Ha-Seong Kim hits a double during the seventh inning of their game against the Angels on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The San Diego Padres’ Ha-Seong Kim, left, gestures to his dugout after hitting a double during the seventh inning of their game against the Angels on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
San Diego Padres starting pitcher Matt Waldron returns to the dugout after being removed during the seventh inning of their game against the Angels on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
San Diego Padres relief pitcher Adrian Morejon throws to the plate during the seventh inning of their game against the Angels on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Angels’ Jo Adell hits a double during the eighth inning of their game against the San Diego Padres on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Angels’ Jo Adell dives back to second base after hitting a double as San Diego Padres shortstop Ha-Seong Kim, right, jumps up for a throw during the eighth inning on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Angels’ Luis Guillorme hits a sacrifice fly to drive in the go-ahead run during the eighth inning of their game against the San Diego Padres on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Angels’ Jo Adell scores the go-ahead run during the eighth inning of their 2-1 victory over the San Diego Padres on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Angels’ Jo Adell scores the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly by Luis Guillorme during the eighth inning of their game against the San Diego Padres on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Angels’ Jo Adell celebrates after scoring the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly by Luis Guillorme during the eighth inning of their game against the San Diego Padres on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Angels’ Jo Adell (7) is greeted by Manager Ron Washington as he returns to the dugout after scoring the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly by Luis Guillorme (15) during the eighth inning of their game against the San Diego Padres on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels relief pitcher Carlos Estévez celebrates after the final out of their 2-1 victory over the San Diego Padres on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels relief pitcher Carlos Estévez celebrates after the final out of their 2-1 victory over the San Diego Padres on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Angels infielders Luis Rengifo, left, and Luis Guillorme celebrate after their 2-1 victory over the San Diego Padres on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Angels relief pitcher Carlos Estévez, left, celebrates with right fielder Jo Adell after their 2-1 victory over the San Diego Padres on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels relief pitcher Carlos Estévez (53) celebrates with second base Luis Guillorme (15), third baseman Luis Rengifo (2), and first baseman Nolan Schanuel, right, after their 2-1 victory over the San Diego Padres on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr., right, enters the dugout before their game against the Angels on Monday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
ANAHEIM — Anyone who has spent any time around Angels manager Ron Washington knew that the way the team scored the go-ahead run on Monday night – a double and two fly balls – was much more pleasing to him than a solo homer.
“No doubt about it,” Washington said after the Angels’ 2-1 victory over the San Diego Padres. “That was fundamentally sound execution on the offensive side.”
Jo Adell led off the eighth with a double off the right field fence. He wisely stopped at second, even though he might have had a shot at a triple, and then the Angels drove him in with a pair of fly balls from Zach Neto and pinch-hitter Luis Guillorme.
“The situational hitting, especially late in a close game, has been kind of our Kryptonite a little bit,” Adell said.
The Angels (22-38) are now 9-21 in games decided by one or two runs, and the poor record in close games is largely because of their situational hitting, defense and bullpen.
In this game, though, it all worked.
Adell’s at-bat was a good one simply because he went to right field, which he said is a sign that he might be pulling out of his current slump. Neto then hit a fly ball to deep center, and Guillorme followed with another to drive in the run.
Closer Carlos Estévez, who has struggled this season, then worked a perfect ninth to pick up the save. Right-hander Hunter Strickland escaped jams in the seventh and eighth to preserve the tie.
The defense also helped bail out Angels starter Tyler Anderson, who gave up one run on a Manny Machado homer in 6⅔ innings.
The Angels threw out Ha-Seong Kim trying to stretch a double into a triple in the second inning. In the third, Jurickson Profar tried to score from first on a double and he was thrown out at the plate. Both times the relay came from left fielder Taylor Ward to Neto.
“Well-executed,” Washington said. “You couldn’t have drawn it up any better.”
Washington said Neto even did the right thing by bouncing his throw to catcher Logan O’Hoppe, because sometimes a throw in the air can be just high enough for the runner to get in under the tag.
Anderson obviously loved both plays.
“One is a runner on third that turns into an out and the other is a run scored that turns into an out,” Anderson said. “You can go right at the next guy instead of having to navigate a little more. As a pitcher, it’s always huge when you turn hits into outs.”
Anderson is now 12 starts into a remarkable bounce-back performance, cutting his ERA from 5.43 last season to 2.37 this season. He’s pitched at least six innings in nine starts.
He has suddenly made that three-year, $39 million deal look much better, not only because he’s pitching well for the Angels but because he’s turned himself into an attractive trade chip at next month’s deadline (July 30).
Because Anderson is still signed for just $13 million for next season, a team that believes it could get 1½ seasons of this type of performance would certainly be willing to part with some quality prospects.
However, if over the next two months the Angels’ young players show enough growth – winning a lot more games like this one – General Manager Perry Minasian might decide that they can compete again as soon as 2025. In that case, they might want to keep Anderson.
In this game, Anderson ended up with a no decision because the Angels couldn’t do much in their first look at Padres right-hander Matt Waldron, the only current knuckleball pitcher in the majors.
The Angels saw a total of 31 knuckleballs among Waldron’s 95 pitches. They swung at 11, and made contact with eight, fouling off five and putting three in play.
One of those produced the Angels’ only run against Waldron.
In the fourth, Luis Rengifo singled and stole second. He scored when Willie Calhoun punched a knuckleball into center field.
“I’m proud of our approach of getting the ball up,” Adell said. “We had a lot of takes on balls that were below the strike zone which was big for us tonight against him. That’s where he gets a lot of his outs. You have a close game, but we did our job by getting on base to try to make things happen.”
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