PITTSBURGH—Jo Adell hit his fifth home run of the season and added an RBI single as the Los Angeles Angels slipped past the Pittsburgh Pirates 5–4 on Wednesday, May 8.
Brandon Drury doubled twice, including a shot to the wall in left field during a three-run, sixth-inning outburst, before leaving with left-hamstring tightness. Drury will be evaluated when the Angels return home on Thursday.
Zach Neto added two hits for Los Angeles. Kevin Pillar, a day removed from six RBIs in a shutout win, had a hit and scored a run for the Angels. Adam Cimber (3–0) worked 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Carlos Estévez pitched a perfect ninth for his sixth save.
“That’s what I’ve been talking about all year, trying to string some stuff together and see what happens, and we did [in the sixth],” Angels Manager Ron Washington said. “Nobody went up there trying to do more than the situation indicated needed to be done. Now we are still trying to look for that word ‘sustain,’ and get consistent.”
Oneil Cruz had two hits and three RBIs, including a two-run double in the fifth, for Pittsburgh. The towering shortstop is hitting .340 (16 for 47) over his past 13 games as he tries to emerge from an early season funk a year removed from surgery to repair a broken left ankle.
“He’s a talented kid, and I think we’re seeing that over the last five, six, seven days,” Pirates Manager Derek Shelton said.
Connor Joe also had two hits for the Pirates, who didn’t produce a baserunner against four Los Angeles relievers.
“We actually got two big hits [in the fifth], because Connor got the second hit, but we have to be better than that,” Mr. Shelton said. “We have to create more opportunities.”
Luis Ortiz (2–2) failed to protect a two-run lead when he came on for Martín Pérez with two on and no outs in the fifth. Ortiz allowed a sharp run-scoring single up the middle by Logan O'Hoppe, and Drury followed with a long double to the wall that tied it. Willie Calhoun’s sacrifice fly put the Angels in front.
Trainer’s Room
Angels: Drury said he’s been dealing with some tightness in the leg recently and felt a tweak when he legged out an early bloop double. Mr. Washington said it’s too soon to say whether Drury would be a candidate for the injured list.Pirates: Catcher Jason Delay (torn meniscus in his right knee) caught a bullpen on Wednesday and has been cleared to play catch up to 120 feet. ... Left-hander Marco Gonzalez (left elbow) remains shut down but does not need another Tommy John surgery, according to Pittsburgh’s director of sports medicine, Todd Tomczyk.
