Instant Replay: Angels 7, Phillies 1

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ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Phillies saw their five-game winning streak ended in a 7-1 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night as Albert Pujols drove in five runs, capped by a three-run homer in the seventh inning.  

After totaling 32 runs during their second-longest unblemished stretch of the season, including outbursts of nine, 10 and seven runs, the Phillies went cold against Ricky Nolasco. The Angels’ right-hander had been serving up home runs on a platter, allowing an average of 1.23 dingers per start coming into the game, but the Phillies could not crack Nolasco.   

Starting a cross-country road trip that will take them from Orange County to Denver before wrapping up in Atlanta, the Phillies lost their 10th straight against the Angels and dropped to 1-10 overall in the interleague series. Their lone win took place at Angel Stadium on June 9, 2003.  
     
The Phillies arrived to an unusual summer thunderstorm that washed out batting practice.

It didn’t seem to matter when Tommy Joseph picked up his 11th RBI in as many games with a first-inning single that drove in Cesar Hernandez, but the Angels responded in the fifth with a two-out, two-run double by Pujols. 

Mike Trout came all the way around from first to put the Angels in front. Trout was 2 for 4 with a walk, picking up his third and fourth hits in 21 career at-bats against the Phillies. 

Joseph kept up his hot streak, going 2 for 3 with a double. He has eight multi-hit games dating back to July 1. However, Joseph struck out looking in the seventh with Andrew Knapp on third to end a promising chance to tie the game. 

Pujols then cracked his 608th career home run, and the Phillies were done and dusted.

Starting pitching report
Aaron Nola (8-7, 3.16) took the loss for the second time in his last eight starts. Nola gave up two runs on eight hits in six innings. He struck out three and walked one, but it was Trout who proved to be the go-ahead run.  

Nola appeared to be in decent shape until the fifth inning, but his inability to put away crafty Angels catcher Martin Maldonado took a toll. Although Maldonado went 0 for 3 against Nola, he needed 23 pitches to get those outs. A draining eight-pitch duel between Nola and Maldonado in the fourth set the stage for the heart of the Angels’ batting order to strike in the following inning.   

Nolasco (5-12, 4.90) was laboring early on, needing 55 pitches to get through three innings. Nolasco did himself no favors in the first inning by throwing a wild pitch that allowed Hernandez to advance to second base and then booting a groundball that allowed the Phillies' second baseman to reach third. 

But Nolasco was able to recover and ultimately gave up just one run on six hits in six innings. The Phillies had two runners on with no outs in his final inning of work, but Nolasco got Maikel Franco and Nick Williams to fly out and sat down Hyun Soo Kim with his fifth strikeout of the evening.  

Bullpen report
Phillies skipper Pete Mackanin said before the game he wanted to see how his relievers would respond after veterans Joaquin Benoit and Pat Neshek were traded. The early returns were not good, as Mark Leiter Jr. was tagged by the Angels’ biggest bats for three runs on three hits in one inning of work.

Leiter also hit a batter. 

Drew Anderson didn’t fare much better. Making his major-league debut after being called up from Double A Reading earlier in the day, Anderson gave up one earned run on two hits in the eighth. 

Anderson did strike out Trout to end the inning.  

At the plate
Hernandez didn’t wait long to reach base for the 13th time in 14 games since coming off the disabled list, hitting a single to start the game.

Kim doubled to right in the second inning for his first hit since being acquired from the Baltimore Orioles in a trade. Kim has reached base in four of eight plate appearances since joining the Phillies.

In the field
Williams made a sensational two-hop throw that allowed Knapp to tag out Yunel Escobar at the plate. The Angels challenged the call, but umpire Quinn Wolcott’s initial ruling stood after the video review and allowed the Phillies to get out of the third inning without giving up a run. 

Roster moves
After the game, the Phillies optioned Anderson to Double A and outfielder Cameron Perkins to Triple A. The club will make two corresponding roster moves on Wednesday.

With Jake Thompson pitching Wednesday, the Phillies will likely add two arms to their bullpen for insurance. Hector Neris and Luis Garcia had each pitched three consecutive days heading into Tuesday. And with the Phils in an AL ballpark the next two nights, they don't need the extra bench bat in Perkins.

Up next
Thompson (1-0, 4.50) picked up the win in his first start of the season against the Atlanta Braves, not allowing a run in five innings. Thompson, who has won three of his last four starts dating back to last season, will face off against Angels right-hander and former Phillie JC Ramirez (9-9, 4.29). 

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