Angels Fall to Pirates Despite Early Offense in 9-3 Loss

ANAHEIM, California — The Los Angeles Angels struggled on the mound Tuesday night as they faced off against the Pittsburgh Pirates, suffering a 9-3 defeat. Right-hander José Soriano, who had been the Angels’ standout pitcher this season, failed to deliver in a poor outing, which saw him allow five runs before being pulled in the fourth inning.

Despite excitement in the air at Angel Stadium, the Angels were unable to maintain momentum after their previous game. “I felt great, but my pitches weren’t there today,” Soriano said through an interpreter. His inability to find command turned a promising night into a disappointing one for the home crowd.

Manager Ron Washington noted that Soriano struggled with his sinker and breaking ball throughout the game. “He didn’t have it,” Washington said. “He couldn’t get a feel for his breaking ball. It looked like he couldn’t get any kind of rhythm all night.” Soriano walked two batters and allowed two hits in the first two innings, escaping without a run against him.

However, the Pirates struck back in the third with two runs, capitalizing on another walk and three singles. Soriano’s night worsened in the fourth as he allowed a three-run homer to Andrew McCutchen, leading to his early exit. “I just didn’t execute,” Soriano admitted, reflecting on the pitched ball that ended in the stands.

This performance marked the first time an Angels starter could not make it through four innings this season, leaving Soriano with a 4.34 ERA over five starts. The hitting didn’t help either, as Taylor Ward began the scoring with a solo home run—but the team’s offense stalled after that.

After trailing 5-1, the Angels managed to claw back temporarily with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Yet, their offense fizzled out after that, with no additional baserunners until the eighth inning. The night also featured a concerning moment in the outfield, where Mike Trout and Jo Adell collided while attempting to catch a fly ball, resulting in an error.

“If that was a big win in September and we were in the hunt, then that’s different,” Washington reflected on the loss. “But this is April, and we enjoy it, but we can’t get hung up on it.”