TORONTO — Sometimes, many modern managers will tell you, the save is in the eighth inning.
The problem is, it’s still in the ninth inning too.
Angels manager Ron Washington decided to use closer Ben Joyce to get through the heart of the Toronto Blue Jays’ order with a one-run lead in the eighth. Joyce got the job done, but then Roansy Contreras couldn’t even get a single out in the ninth, allowing back-to-back homers to Joey Loperfido and Addison Barger in the Angels’ 5-4 loss to the Blue Jays on Friday night.
“It’s been a long time since we did not put a game away in the ninth inning, and we felt good about it,” Washington said. “Tonight, it just didn’t work.”
It was the fifth time this season the Angels lost a game that they led after eight innings, but only the second time since May 11.
Starter Jack Kochanowicz had a 4-3 lead when he was pulled after a leadoff double in the seventh, leaving the Angels nine outs to maneuver with a one-run lead. Hunter Strickland got two outs, around a walk, and then Washington brought in left-hander José Quijada to face left-handed hitter Daulton Varsho, the Blue Jays No. 2 hitter. Quijada struck him out.
Although the Blue Jays had two lefties due among the three hitters in the eighth, Washington said he didn’t want to take a chance of bringing Quijada back because it was just 11th outing since returning from Tommy John surgery, and they aren’t sure how his arm would react to cooling down between innings.
Washington instead opted for Joyce, who has become his closer, to get through the middle of the order. Joyce worked around a single, retiring the side on 15 pitches.
Joyce has pitched two full innings five times this year, but Washington said he didn’t want to subject him to that kind of workload at this point in the season, particularly now that his outings are all in high leverage spots.
“I know earlier in the season I was using him for two innings, but when I was using him for two innings, that’s what he was doing,” Washington said. “I couldn’t see myself using him for two innings, and he goes out there and throws about 30 pitches and something happens.”
The Blue Jays had the bottom three hitters in the order due, so Washington figured he could get through with Contreras. He had a 1.59 ERA in his last 15 games in relief, including successfully converting two save opportunities.
“Contreras has been good in that situation,” Washington said. “He’s good against lefties. Tonight, it just didn’t work out.”
Contreras fell behind Loperfido, 2-and-1, and then he threw him a fastball at the knees, and he hit it the other way, over the fence in left-center, tying the game.
Barger got a 3-and-2 changeup at the bottom of the zone and he pulled it out to right.
“I didn’t execute my pitches that I was supposed to,” Contreras said through an interpreter.
The abrupt ending spoiled a night in which Jack Kochanowicz was in line for a victory after allowing three runs in six-plus innings. It was his third straight quality start since coming back to the majors this month. He has a 3.20 ERA in those starts.
“That’s the third one he’s had now where he’s shown that he can go out there and face Major League hitters,” Washington said. “Hopefully, he could take those three outings, and continue to grow. He was outstanding tonight.”
The Angels had a 4-0 lead in the second inning, including two runs on a Jo Adell double, but then they didn’t score again.
They had a chance at a insurance run with a runner at third and one out in the ninth, but they couldn’t get him home. Logan O’Hoppe grounded out to second when a flyout would have scored the run. Niko Kavadas then struck out.
“I’m sitting there knowing (O’Hoppe) is going to get that ball in the air,” Washington said, “but it just didn’t happen.”
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