It was a rough first inning for lefty Andrew Heaney, and it was enough to sink the scuffling Angels on Friday night.
Heaney surrendered three runs on three extra-base hits in the opening frame and the Angels couldn't recover in a 5-3 loss at the Oakland Coliseum. It dropped the Angels to 8-19, which is the worst start in franchise history through 27 games.
“Andrew started out shaky, but he righted himself,” Angels manager Joe Maddon said. “I really like when he pitches with his fastball primarily and doesn’t rely on the breaking ball. I think that was hit early, and then he got into a nice rhythm with his fastball."
Heaney's troubles happened quickly, allowing a leadoff homer to Marcus Semien on his second pitch of the night. After Ramón Laureano lined out sharply to center, Matt Chapman followed with a double to left. Mark Canha walked and Matt Olson popped out in foul territory, but Heaney couldn't get out of the jam, giving up a two-run double to Stephen Piscotty on a first-pitch changeup.
It put the Angels in yet another early hole, but Heaney did settle in. He didn’t give up a run again until there were two outs in the fifth.
Heaney allowed back-to-back doubles to Canha and Olson with two outs, as Brian Goodwin couldn't make the play on a catchable ball in left from Olson. It knocked Heaney from the game after 4 2/3 innings and 97 pitches. Reliever Mike Mayers came in and promptly gave up an RBI single to Piscotty, with the run being charged to Heaney.
"The big inning, for me, was when they scored two runs after two outs and nobody on," Maddon said. "That was the part that bothered me, because we put ourselves in pretty good position at that point, and that obviously was the difference in the game."
Heaney gave up five runs on six hits and two walks, falling to 1-2 with a 5.52 ERA on the year. After posting a 2.35 ERA through his first three starts, Heaney has a 9.22 ERA over his last three outings. His showing on Friday spoiled strong performances offensively from Anthony Rendon, who went 4-for-5 to extend his hitting streak to 11 games, and David Fletcher, who went 3-for-5, including a double on a pitch that was forehead high.
Heaney was clearly frustrated after the game and kept his postgame comments brief.
“I gotta be better,” said Heaney, who declined to discuss any in-game changes he made.