ANAHEIM -- The Angels called up right-hander Alex Meyer from Triple-A Salt Lake to make a spot start against the Blue Jays on Friday with the hope of giving the rest of their rotation an extra day of rest.
But things didn't exactly go as planned after Meyer was chased early and the Halos were left to play a 13-inning marathon that overtaxed their pitching staff and ended with an 8-7 loss to the Blue Jays at Angel Stadium.
Meyer, 27, lasted only 3 2/3 innings in his season debut, allowing two runs on two hits while walking four and striking out three. His premature exit forced the Angels to use seven relievers in the game. When they ran out of bullpen options, the Angels turned to Jesse Chavez, who was slated to start Sunday, but was thrust into action when both clubs remained in a 5-5 deadlock in the 13th.
Chavez subsequently surrendered a three-run home run to Jose Bautista, which held up as the game-winning hit after the Angels' own rally in the bottom of the 13th fell short.
"You've still got to go out there and do your job and throw strikes," Chavez said. "Unfortunately, I wasn't able to throw enough quality ones to keep us in the ballgame."
Meyer, ranked as the Angels' No. 8 prospect by MLBPipeline.com, breezed through the first two innings, but then battled command issues in the latter half of his outing. He opened the third by issuing back-to-back nine-pitch walks to Chris Coghlan and Ryan Goins, which led to two runs for the Blue Jays. Ezequiel Carrera put Toronto on the board by knocking in Coghlan with an RBI groundout, and Goins later scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0.
Meyer stumbled into more trouble in the fourth, surrendering a leadoff single followed by a pair of two-out walks to load the bases for the Blue Jays. With the Angels clinging to a 3-2 lead, manager Mike Scioscia decided to lift Meyer and bring in Jose Alvarez, who induced a flyout to end the inning.
"I just felt like I lost the release point on my breaking ball and that led me to kind of lose it with my fastball there in the third and fourth inning," said Meyer, who threw 75 pitches. "I think that's the biggest thing. In the first two innings, I felt my command was good. Then I kind of lost it there a little bit and had a hard time getting it back."
Yusmeiro Petit, Bud Norris, Cam Bedrosian, Richard Parker and Deolis Guerra all saw action Friday, leading to Chavez's first relief appearance of the season. Chavez threw 25 pitches in the 13th and said he thinks he can still start Sunday, though manager Mike Scioscia said the Angels would wait to "sort some things out."
Since Meyer's start pushed the rest of the rotation back, one option would be to have Ricky Nolasco pitch Sunday on normal rest and move Chavez to Monday. Chavez said he has not been informed of the Angels' potential rotation plans.
"That's the last thing on my mind right now," Chavez said.