Angels miss chance to move above .500, losing to Nationals

Young Angels fans who lined the infield for autographs as the team jogged onto the field Sunday, may not know the thrilling, heart-racing suspense of the postseason — nor the captivating, religious-like fervor the Rally Monkey could bring.

Neither did the Angels who took their places in the field, combining for zero postseason appearances — a group that hadn’t even made their major-league debuts when Mike Trout last led the Angels to the playoffs.

2014 represents the longest postseason drought in MLB. Meanwhile, the 2002 World Series title may read more as a story told by parents to the kids who ran back up into the shaded seats away from the blistering sun after receiving signed baseballs from a group featuring some present-day Angels — Nolan Schanuel, Christian Moore and Logan O’Hoppe.

Does the pressure of holding a postseason spot, potentially hitting a benchmark goal before the All-Star break, change the short-term focus of the franchise? When asked about the expectations before Sunday’s game, interim manager Ray Montgomery said he’s just focused on the now, a message he’s been trying to instill in the clubhouse since spring training.

“If we worry about ourselves and playing the day that we’re scheduled to play, and not worry about the other stuff, we’ll continue to be fine,” Montgomery said.

On Sunday, however, focus collapsed in the late innings, a winning record remaining just past arm’s length in the Angels’ 11-inning, 7-4 defeat to the Nationals (35-49). Closer Kenley Jansen blew his first save of the season in the ninth while up one run. The Nationals’ rally was started by a leadoff double that could have been deemed an error by Schanuel on a bouncing ground ball that got past him at first.

“I think it’s a ball you should probably come in on and come after right away, instead of kind of laying back,” Montgomery said of Schanuel, who also made a defensive mishap in the sixth that caused the Nationals to take a 2-1 lead, “because you’re going to get a tough hop on that one after that. And we saw that.”

And despite a scoreless 10th from Connor Brogdon, he gave up three runs (two earned) in the 11th after a CJ Abrams triple broke the game open.

The sun, in the seventh, also made it hard for shortstop Kevin Newman. A two-out pop fly, ruled a double for Abrams, dropped in left when Newman couldn’t find the ball. The play knotted the game at three.

“Really frustrating,” Newman said. “Especially just being a pop-up, really not a difficult play by any means, and it just found its way right into the middle of the sun.”

The Angels (41-42) still had plenty of opportunity to hold on to secure their first winning record since April 20. Outfielder Taylor Ward had a career-high three doubles, the first of which scored Schanuel — who reached on a walk — in the first to give the Angels a 1-0 lead. In the sixth, down 2-1, Ward led off the bottom half with a double, on a ground ball deflected by a diving attempt by Nationals third baseman Brady House.

The eighth-year Angels veteran scored on a single from Jo Adell — extending his hit streak to a career-high 11 games — in the next at bat. Moore, who got his first taste of stardom Saturday with a fan meet-and-greet in Tustin, treated the home crowd to a go-ahead single scoring Adell later in the inning.

Quickly becoming a fan favorite for the Angels faithful, Moore capped his introductory homestand with another clutch at-bat — in a week that started with a bang thanks to his two home run spectacle Tuesday against the Red Sox. The rookie second baseman collected five tying or go-ahead hits across the homestand.

Ward had a chance to end the game in the 10th with runners on first and second with one out but struck out on three pitches. He looked at two fastballs up in the zone, and froze on a Kyle Finnegan splitter for strike three.

“It can’t happen,” Ward said. “I don’t know why I didn’t pull the trigger on the first two pitches. Something I’m going to be kicking myself over.”

The Angels ended the afternoon two-for-13 with runners in scoring position, failing to score in the ninth, 10th and 11th with at least one runner on in each inning.

Angels starting pitcher Jack Kochanowicz was drilled in the left leg with a comebacker in the first inning, but pitched into the fifth until Montgomery pulled the sinkerballer after a walk and double. He gave up two runs and five hits and two walks, while striking out two.

The Angels bullpen was solid after Kochanowicz removal, combining for five strikeouts, three walks, three hits and two runs before extra innings began. Reid Detmers highlighted the combined effort, striking out three across 1 ⅓ innings, and helping Ryan Zeferjahn escape the seventh with just one run to his name (when Newman couldn’t find the ball in the sun). The southpaw was in line for the victory before Jansen’s blown save sent the game to extra innings.

Jumping for Jo(y)

Adell has strung together a potential AL Player of the Month-level campaign in June, socking 11 home runs — best in the AL — as well as .284 batting average and 18 RBIs.

So far, Adell is already on pace for a career-high in wins above replacement rating with 1.0 entering the game, according to Baseball Reference, and is on track for career-best marks in on-base percentage and slugging percentage as well.

“I’m rooting for him,” Montgomery said. “The home runs are nice, and it’s a byproduct of being on the field every day, the work he’s doing. But everything defensively, base running, he’s contributing every way possible.”

Etc.

Zach Neto pinch-hit in the seventh inning for Newman and then played the remainder of the game — his first time back fielding since jamming his shoulder Tuesday.

Montgomery said before the game that conversations with Neto and the medical staff leaned to giving him a full off day, along with having the Monday off day, rather than just being in the lineup as the designated hitter.

But when push came to shove in a then-tied game, Neto (0-for-2) and Mike Trout — who began the game on the bench — had an at-bat.