Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani follows through on a line out to Rangers shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa during the third inning of Tuesday night’s game in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Angels starting pitcher Packy Naughton throws to the plate during the second inning of a game against the Rangers on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Angels starting pitcher Packy Naughton throws to the plate during the second inning of a game against the Rangers on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
A.J. Alexy of the Texas Rangers pitches against the Los Angeles Angels in the top of the first inning at Globe Life Field on September 28, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani prepares to take on the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on September 28, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani takes a lead off of first in the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani, left, dives back to first safely as Texas Rangers first baseman Nathaniel Lowe reaches out for the pick off attempt in the first inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani dives back to first base against Nathaniel Lowe #30 of the Texas Rangers in the top of the first inning at Globe Life Field on September 28, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Angels starting pitcher Packy Naughton throws to the plate during the first inning of a game against the Rangers on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Angels catcher Max Stassi and pitching coach Matt Wise, center, pay starting pitcher Packy Naughton a visit on the mound in the second inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani at bat against A.J. Alexy #62 of the Texas Rangers in the top of the third inning at Globe Life Field on September 28, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani at bat against A.J. Alexy #62 of the Texas Rangers in the top of the third inning at Globe Life Field on September 28, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani follows through on a line out to Rangers shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa during the third inning of Tuesday night’s game in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani reacts after lining out to the shortstop while at bat against A.J. Alexy #62 of the Texas Rangers in the top of the third inning at Globe Life Field on September 28, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Angels starting pitcher Packy Naughton throws to the plate during the first inning of a game against the Rangers on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Angels starting pitcher Packy Naughton throws to the plate during the second inning of a game against the Rangers on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Angels second baseman David Fletcher tags out the Rangers’ Nick Solak (15) who was attempting to steal the bag in the third inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Angels relief pitcher Oliver Ortega follows through on his delivery to the Texas Rangers in the third inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Texas Rangers relief pitcher Kolby Allard throws to the Los Angeles Angels in the sixth inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Phil Gosselin of the Angels flies out against the Texas Rangers in the top of the sixth inning at Globe Life Field on September 28, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
DJ Peters of the Texas Rangers fields a fly ball hit by Jared Walsh of the Angels for an out in the top of the sixth inning at Globe Life Field on September 28, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Angels right fielder Jose Rojas makes a diving attempt to reach a single hit by Texas Rangers’ Jonah Heim in the sixth inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Angels right fielder Jose Rojas makes a diving attempt to reach a single hit by Texas Rangers’ Jonah Heim in the sixth inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Andrew Wantz of the Angels pitches against the Texas Rangers in the bottom of the fifth inning at Globe Life Field on September 28, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
The Rangers’ Andy Ibanez connects for a triple in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Arlington, Texas, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Angels center fielder Brandon Marsh misses trying to reach a triple hit by Texas Rangers’ Andy Ibanez in the seventh inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Angels relief pitcher Jimmy Herget throws in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Angels second baseman David Fletcher fields a ground ball hit by Nick Solak of the Texas Rangers for the out in the bottom of the seventh inning at Globe Life Field on September 28, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Angels second baseman David Fletcher fields a ground ball hit by Nick Solak of the Texas Rangers for the out in the bottom of the seventh inning at Globe Life Field on September 28, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Angels second baseman David Fletcher reaches down to field a ground out by Texas Rangers’ Nick Solak in the seventh inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Angels second baseman David Fletcher fields a ground ball hit by Nick Solak of the Texas Rangers for the out in the bottom of the seventh inning at Globe Life Field on September 28, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Jimmy Herget of the Angels pitches against the Texas Rangers in the bottom of the seventh inning at Globe Life Field on September 28, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
The Rangers’ Adolis Garcia connects for a run-scoring single in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Arlington, Texas, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani lines out to second against the Texas Rangers in the top of the ninth inning at Globe Life Field on September 28, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Angels relief pitcher Sam Selman delivers to the Texas Rangers in the eighth inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
The Rangers’ Brock Holt throws to first on a single by the Angels’ Jared Walsh in the ninth inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani gestures to a teammate in the dugout before taking on the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on September 28, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani prepares to take on the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on September 28, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, Texas — Four hits against one of the worst pitching teams in the majors certainly doesn’t look like much of a night, but Manager Joe Maddon didn’t quite see it that way.
After the Angels’ 5-2 loss to the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night, Maddon said he believes it was just a tough luck night for his hitters, who deserved better for the contact they made.
“I thought we hit some balls really well,” Maddon said. “We were a little unlucky. It seems like teams in our division defend well in terms of positioning. I don’t even know how to figure that out. But that was part of the loss tonight. We hit some really well-struck balls right at their defense.”
Sure enough, the hardest-hit ball for either team all night was a 111 mph line drive off the bat of Jose Rojas in the fourth inning. It was straight to right fielder Adolis Garcia, who caught it and then fired a perfect strike to first base to double off Jack Mayfield.
The ball had an 80 percent hit probability, and it turned into a double play.
Five of the six hardest-hit balls by the Angels resulted in outs.
The other was a Max Stassi upper-deck homer that provided both the Angels’ runs. Besides that, they didn’t have much to show for their at-bats.
After Stassi’s homer, the Angels sent just two hitters over the minimum to the plate over the final seven innings. They had just one at-bat with a runner in scoring position all night, and that was with two outs.
This storyline is nothing new for the Angels, who have been using a patchwork lineup for months because of injuries to Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon and Justin Upton.
The bright spot for the Angels was the bullpen, which gave up one run in six innings.
Reliever Andrew Wantz, who has been mostly solid in his first trip around the majors, now has two consecutive scoreless, multi-inning appearances after he allowed four runs in a nightmare inning on Sept. 20.
Since then he pitched two scoreless innings against the Houston Astros on Sept. 22, and on Tuesday night he retired seven of the eight hitters he faced over 2-1/3 innings. He struck out four.
“I thought he did a great job,” Maddon said. “That’s what he should look like. That’s what his capabilities should look like.”
It was too late by the time the bullpen got into the game, though, because starter Packy Naughton gave up four runs in the second inning.
The Angels had just given Naughton a two-run lead on Stassi’s homer, but Naughton gave it back quickly.
“That’s the worst,” Naughton said. “Stassi is right there with me, battling. He puts us up 2-0, and then ‘Alright, let’s go throw up a zero.’ Things don’t work out the way you plan. Some balls fall and you walk some dudes. That’s the worst feeling.”
He retired only one of the first six hitters in the inning, including a pair of walks. That produced three runs, and the Rangers scored the fourth on a groundout.
“He just didn’t have it,” Maddon said. “The command was not there. Stuff, in general, was just not the same. Not as sharp. He battled like he normally does. He just did not have the same finish on his pitches, nor did he know where they were going, so it was just a tough night for him.”
