Trout saves Angels with game-ending catch

Mike Trout saved the Angels with this catch Thursday. (MLB.com screen grab)

Things have not been going to well for the Athletics so far this season. Wednesday night’s loss was their sixth loss in their last seven games, dropping them behind the pack in the AL West. Perhaps more than any other team, the A’s needed a pick-me-up on Thursday.

That pick-me-up almost came. Almost. The Angels took a big 6-0 lead over the A’s by the seventh inning on Thursday afternoon, but Oakland got on the board with Mark Canha’s two-run homer in the seventh. Hey, the comeback rally has to start somewhere, right?

The ninth inning is where things got really wild. Billy Butler drew a leadoff walk against Vinnie Pestano, then moved to second on Josh Reddick’s single. Mike Scioscia went to closer Huston Street, who allowed RBI singles to Brett Lawrie and Canha to make it 6-4. Now the tying run was on base.

Pinch-hitter Stephen Vogt drew a walk to load the bases with no outs, so the A’s were really in business. Pinch-hitter Max Muncy followed with a pop-up for the first out, but Sam Fuld picked him up with an RBI single to center. Now it was 6-5 and the bases were still loaded with one out.

Marcus Semien couldn’t get the game-tying run in, instead popping up for the second out of the inning. That put the game in the hands of Ike Davis against Street, who was uncharacteristically. Street jumped ahead in the count 0-2 before missing for ball one. Davis then unloaded on a hanging 1-2 changeup, lifting it deep to center field.

I didn’t think Davis’ fly ball was gone off the bat but I knew it was trouble. It wasn’t going to be a routine catch. Of course, the Angels don’t have a routine center fielder. Mike Trout did what Mike Trout does and saved the game with a tremendous catch. To the action footage:

Oakland was a great Mike Trout catch away from erasing a 6-0 deficit and picking up a much needed walk-off win. Instead, it’s another loss. Huston Street, what do you think about that catch?

Yup. What a play. Trout is simply amazing.

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