ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Jered Weaver wasn’t sure what to say. These days with the Los Angeles Angels, nobody really is.
Weaver had just been pounded, giving up a career-high four home runs to the New York Yankees in a 7-0 loss Friday night. It’s something that is becoming all too familiar to the Angels and Weaver.
It was his 315th career start for the Angels, second in franchise history to Chuck Finley’s 379, but few have gone the way so many are now for the soft-tossing Weaver (8-11). He has failed to win in his last six starts and Friday made the struggle all the more apparent.
“I couldn’t keep the ball in the yard,” Weaver said softly. “I didn’t fool too many people tonight.”
The Angels fell 20 games under .500 (51-71) with the loss. They have lost 13 of their last 15 games, the season collapsing upon them.
“Nothing hurts worse than letting your teammates down and I’ve been doing that on a pretty consistent basis,” Weaver said. “It’s definitely a tough pill to swallow.”
The Angels’ offense offered no support against Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka, who is very much going in the opposite direction of Weaver.
Tanaka (10-4) allowed only five hits in his 7 2/3 innings. He struck out nine and did not walk a batter. He hasn’t walked a batter in his last four starts (123 hitters).
“We faced him before, but tonight he was a little crisper and had his pitches working,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “He pitched ahead in the count and threw a good game for them.”
The Yankees have won 10 of Tanaka’s last 12 starts, and his last three straight.
New York gave him an immediate lead when Jacoby Ellsbury led off the game with a home run. It was the Yankees’ first leadoff home run this season.
They added solo home runs by Ronald Torreyes, Didi Grregorius and Brian McCann in the fifth inning to chase Weaver.
Torreyes, who batted ninth and entered the game hitting .218, had a career-high four hits, including his first career home run.
Weaver has had particular trouble with the Yankees. He has a career 6.24 ERA against them — his highest against any American League team.
And little was working for him Friday. He allowed five runs and 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings.
“At times he made some really good pitches, but he was having some trouble getting pitches where he wanted to and those guys didn’t miss them,” Scioscia said. “So we’ll just turn the page on that.”
ESCOBAR LEAVES GAME
Angels 3B Yunel Escobar was attempting to bunt his way on in the fourth inning when the ball went directly off his bat and hit him in the face. He quickly left the game. Scioscia said Escobar, who is hitting .320, was hit in the nose and cheek.
“We’re going to take it one step at a time, but (the DL) is a possibility,” Scioscia said.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: 3B Chase Headley (sore Achilles) was held out, but is expected to return to the lineup Saturday. … OF Brett Gardner was out with a sore foot. … The Yankees said RHP Nathan Eovaldi underwent
successful Tommy John surgery, in addition to repairing his right flexor tendon.
Angels: 1B C.J. Crow (broken bone in left hand) has rejoined the team after his rehab stint at Triple-A Salt Lake City and is expected to be activated Saturday.
UP NEXT
Yankees: RHP Luis Cessa (2-0) is scheduled to make his first major league start. In eight games as a reliever this season, the 24-year-old has a 5.30 ERA.
Angels: RHP Ricky Nolasco (4-10) will be looking for his first victory with the Angels in his fourth start. He is 0-2 with a 5.19 ERA in his first three starts.
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