The Rays’ Manuel Margot, right, steals home and scores the go-ahead run as Angels relief pitcher Aaron Slegers misses the throw during the eighth inning of Thursday’s game at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Angels starting pitcher Andrew Heaney throws to the plate during the first inning of Thursday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Angel Stadium. Heaney pitched 6-2/3 scoreless innings and left the game with a 3-0 lead. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Angels starting pitcher Andrew Heaney throws to the plate during the first inning of Thursday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Angel Stadium. Heaney pitched 6-2/3 scoreless innings and left the game with a 3-0 lead. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Angels starting pitcher Andrew Heaney throws to the plate during the first inning of Thursday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Angel Stadium. Heaney pitched 6-2/3 scoreless innings and left the game with a 3-0 lead. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Collin McHugh throws to a Los Angeles Angels batter during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, May 6, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Collin McHugh throws against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning of a baseball game, Thursday, May 6, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Tampa Bay Rays’ Austin Meadows bends backward as Los Angeles Angels catcher Kurt Suzuki throws to second base in an unsuccessful attempt to stop Rays’ Brett Phillips from stealing the base during the third inning of a baseball game, Thursday, May 6, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. Suzuki’s throw was wide, and he was charged with an error. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Tampa Bay Rays’ Brett Phillips, right, steals second base as Los Angeles Angels’ Jose Iglesias misses the throw during the third inning of a baseball game Thursday, May 6, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. Phillips advanced to third on the errant throw. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Tampa Bay Rays’ Brett Phillips jumps over Los Angeles Angels’ Jose Iglesias to advance to third base after Iglesias missed a throw from catcher Kurt Suzuki, who was charged with an error during the third inning of a baseball game Thursday, May 6, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 06: Collin McHugh #31 of the Tampa Bay Rays pitches during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 06, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 06: Collin McHugh #31 of the Tampa Bay Rays walks off the field with Mike Zunino #10 at the end of the second inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 06, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 06: David Fletcher #22 of the Los Angeles Angels hits a single during the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 06, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Angels’ Phil Gosselin, right, is tagged out by Tampa Bay Rays catcher Mike Zunino while trying to score on a single hit by David Fletcher during the third inning of a baseball game, Thursday, May 6, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 06: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels hits a two run home run during the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 06, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani watches his home run during the third inning of the team’s baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Thursday, May 6, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani watches his home run during the third inning of the team’s baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Thursday, May 6, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 06: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels reacts after hitting a two run home run during the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 06, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani, right, celebrates his home run with third base coach Brian Butterfield during the third inning of the team’s baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Thursday, May 6, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani heads for home with a home run during the third inning of the team’s baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Thursday, May 6, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani, right, celebrates his two-run home run with David Fletcher during the third inning of the team’s baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Thursday, May 6, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Los Angeles Angels’ Jose Iglesias, center, congratulates Shohei Ohtani, left, after Ohtani hit a two-run home run during the third inning of the team’s baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Thursday, May 6, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 06: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels celebrates his two-run home run with Jose Iglesias #4 during the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 06, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
Angels starting pitcher Andrew Heaney throws to the plate during the first inning of Thursday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Angel Stadium. Heaney pitched 6-2/3 scoreless innings and left the game with a 3-0 lead. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
Tampa Bay Rays’ Randy Arozarena flips his bat after striking out during the fifth inning of the team’s baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Thursday, May 6, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Angels starting pitcher Andrew Heaney throws to the plate during the first inning of Thursday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Angel Stadium. Heaney pitched 6-2/3 scoreless innings and left the game with a 3-0 lead. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 06: Josh Fleming #19 of the Tampa Bay Rays pitches during the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 06, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 06: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels catches a fly ball hit by Manuel Margot #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays during the sixth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 06, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 06: Taylor Ward #3 of the Los Angeles Angels catches a fly ball hit by Yandy Diaz #2 of the Tampa Bay Rays during the sixth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 06, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 06: Taylor Ward #3 of the Los Angeles Angels throws a ball hit by Yandy Diaz #2 of the Tampa Bay Rays to the crowd during the sixth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 06, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Andrew Heaney, center, leaves the mound and the baseball game during the seventh inning against the Tampa Bay Rays, Thursday, May 6, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Tampa Bay Rays’ Mike Zunino celebrates his home run during the seventh inning of the team’s baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Thursday, May 6, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Tampa Bay Rays’ Mike Zunino, left, celebrates his home run with Willy Adames during the seventh inning of the team’s baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Thursday, May 6, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 06: Manuel Margot #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays steals home plate against Aaron Slegers #57 of the Los Angeles Angels during the eighth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 06, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 06: Manuel Margot #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays steals home plate against Aaron Slegers #57 of the Los Angeles Angels during the eighth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 06, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
The Rays’ Manuel Margot, right, steals home and scores the go-ahead run as Angels relief pitcher Aaron Slegers misses the throw during the eighth inning of Thursday’s game at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 06: Manuel Margot #13 (C) of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates stealing home with Kevin Kiermaier #39, Willy Adames #1, Randy Arozarena #56 and Brett Phillips #35 during the eighth inning to take the lead against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 06, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
Tampa Bay Rays’ Randy Arozarena runs toward home to score on a single by Manuel Margot during the eighth inning of a baseball game agains the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday, May 6, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 06: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels reacts after hitting a foul ball during the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 06, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout removes his helmet after striking out during the eighth inning of the team’s baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Thursday, May 6, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout stands near the batter’s box after striking out during the eighth inning of the team’s baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Thursday, May 6, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 06: Willy Adames #1 and Mike Brosseau #43 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrate their 8-3 win against the Los Angeles Angels after the game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 06, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
Tampa Bay Rays’ Mike Brosseau, right, and Willy Adames celebrate the team’s 8-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels in a baseball game Thursday, May 6, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 06: A fan wears the jersey of Albert Pujols #5 of the Los Angeles Angels before the game between the Los Angeles Angels and the Tampa Bay Rays at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 06, 2021 in Anaheim, California. Pujols was released by the Los Angeles Angels ending a 10 year contract with the team. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 06: Fans wear the jersey of Albert Pujols #5 of the Los Angeles Angels before the game between the Los Angeles Angels and the Tampa Bay Rays at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 06, 2021 in Anaheim, California. Pujols was released by the Los Angeles Angels ending a 10 year contract with the team. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 06: A general view of a home run counter in centerfield for Albert Pujols #5 of the Los Angeles Angels before the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 06, 2021 in Anaheim, California. Pujols was released by the Los Angeles Angels ending a 10 year contract. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 06: A detailed view of a home run counter in centerfield for Albert Pujols #5 of the Los Angeles Angels before the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 06, 2021 in Anaheim, California. Pujols was released by the Los Angeles Angels ending a 10 year contract with the team. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 06: A general view of a picture of Albert Pujols #5 of the Los Angeles Angels above seats in the concourse at Angel Stadium of Anaheim before the game against the Tampa Bay Rays on May 06, 2021 in Anaheim, California. Pujols was released by the Los Angeles Angels ending a 10 year contract with the team. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM —The Angels are clinging to their faith in the power of a 162-game season.
After an ugly 8-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night extended their losing streak to five games and dropped their record to 13-17, they took solace in the fact that they have 132 games to play.
“You play 162 games for a reason; that’s how you figure out who the best team is,” said reliever Mike Mayers, who had the biggest role in this loss by allowing four runs when he inherited a three-run lead in the seventh. “Right now we’re going through a storm and we’ve got to weather it. We’ve got a good group of guys in that clubhouse. We pick each other up. We care about each other. There’s some really, really talented baseball players, some of the best in the world, in that clubhouse, and so it’s only a matter of time till it all starts clicking.”
Not much has been clicking lately, with the starting pitching, bullpen, defense and offense all looking bad at times during this losing streak.
On Thursday night it was primarily the bullpen, with the offense also bearing the responsibility of scoring just three runs – and 10 during the five-game losing streak.
That wasted the best part of the night, a dominant 6-2/3 scoreless innings from Andrew Heaney, who struck out 10 and walked one.
Heaney had thrown 110 pitches – the third most of his career – when Manager Joe Maddon came to get the ball from him with a 3-0 lead in the seventh inning.
“Outstanding, outstanding,” Maddon said of Heaney. “Everything we’ve been talking about, everything he’s been working on came to fruition tonight. He was outstanding.”
But his lead didn’t last long. Mayers let it get away in a span of five batters, only one of which he retired. Mayers gave up a homer to Mike Zunino in the seventh. In the eighth, he allowed a single to Brett Phillips, a double to Randy Arozarena and a single to Manuel Margot, tying the score.
“That one falls squarely on me,” Mayers said. “I had a job to do and I didn’t do it… I hate losing with everything in me, and we lost tonight because I didn’t pitch well.”
Aaron Slegers entered and walked Austin Meadows. Margot and Meadows each took off on a double steal just as a pitch was getting past catcher Kurt Suzuki, which allowed Margot to score and Meadows to go to third. Meadows then scored on Yandy Diaz’s single off the glove of leaping shortstop José Iglesias.
Felix Peña, pitching in his first game of the season after a stint on the injured list with a hamstring issue, allowed four more hits and a walk as the game got away from the Angels, while the crowd showered the Angels with as many boos as 8,840 could muster.
While the relievers were the primary culprits here, the offense was also unable to give them more cushion. The Angels have played most of this series without third baseman Anthony Rendon and outfielder Justin Upton, who suffered injuries on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.
All their runs on Thursday came in the third inning, including two on a 428-foot homer by Shohei Ohtani, his team-leading 10th.
After that, they had only two at-bats with a runner in scoring position the rest of the game.
“It’s kind of when you get hit in the mouth a little bit, you gotta get yourself back up,” Maddon said. “We have to finish games off. We have to get add-on runs. The margins are so small. It’s no longer a razor-thin margin between winning and losing. It’s laser thin, and we have to get on the right side of it.”
Heaney, one of the longest-tenured players in the clubhouse, said they have the right mix of veterans to turn this losing streak around.
“You win some games, you lose some games and sometimes it rains,” Heaney said with a chuckle, echoing a baseball cliché. “Right now it feels like it’s pouring on us. Every team understands those stretches come and they go and you just have to weather it.
“When you’re in the middle of a winning streak it feels like no matter what you do, you can roll the ball out there and you’re going to win. When you’re in a streak like the one we’re in now, it feels like no matter how much of a lead you have, how late in the game it is, how much you score early, it feels like nothing goes your way.
“Obviously we’ve had some self-inflicted things. The only thing you can keep doing is come to the ballpark every single day and do the things you do to get prepared. You gotta keep going.”
