Angels Edged in 2020 Exhibition Game Finale

ANAHEIM (CNS) - Los Angeles Angels rookie left-hander Patrick Sandoval pitched to the minimum six batters in the first two innings, then allowed the first six San Diego Padres batters he faced in the third to reach base in a five-run inning in a 5-4 loss in an exhibition game at Angel Stadium.

Ty France led off with a single, moved to second on Trent Grisham's walk and scored on a bunt single by Austin Hedges, the No. 9 hitter in San Diego's lineup.

Grisham scored on Fernando Tatis' infield single on a play Tatis was initially called out, but the call was overturned.

Manny Machado singled in Hedges with the third run of the inning. Tommy Pham's single drove in Tatis and advanced Machado to third. Eric Hosmer drove in Machado with the Padres final run on a sacrifice fly.

The Angels scored one run each in the second through fifth innings. Andrelton Simmons's two-out double in second drove in Tommy La Stella, who walked.

La Stella doubled in pinch-runner Jack Kruger in the third. Kruger was running for Shohei Ohtani who singled with two outs.

Simmons homered leading off the fourth.

Kruger singled leading off the fifth, advanced to third on back-to-back singles by Michael Hermosillo and Jared Walsh and scored when Taylor Ward grounded into a double play.

Sandoval (0-1), the first of five Angels pitchers, was charged with the loss, allowing five runs and six hits in three innings, striking out one and walking two.

Sandoval, a Mission Viejo High School graduate, was 0-4 with a 5.03 ERA in 10 appearances, including nine starts, for the Angels last season.

Left-hander Joey Lucchesi (1-0), the first of four San Diego pitchers, was credited with the victory, allowing three runs and six hits over four innings, striking out five and walking two.

Rookie right-hander David Bednar pitched a perfect ninth for his first save in 2020 exhibition play, striking out Kruger and Hermosillo to end the game.

The exhibition was the last for both teams before the start of the regular season. The Angels will open the regular season Friday at Oakland while the Padres will play host to the Arizona Diamondbacks in their home opener Friday.

The exhibition was the first for the Angels at Angel Stadium in 2020, four months later than originally planned.

The Angels were scheduled to open the Freeway Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Angel Stadium on March 22, but the coronavirus outbreak prompted cancellation of spring training games after March 12.

Like most sporting events around the world, fans were barred from attending Wednesday's game under public health directives prohibiting public events and gatherings.

Photo: Getty Images


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