Angels bullpen secures one-run win over Mets

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Zach Neto of the Los Angeles Angels slides into the plate to score on a sacrifice fly by Kevin Pillar (not pictured) in the third inning during a game against the New York Mets at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on August 4, 2024 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)

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ANAHEIM — The Angels’ bullpen has been riddled with question marks since trading away Carlos Estevez and Luis Garcia, and it was even more of a blank canvas Sunday afternoon because the relievers they’d used in high-leverage positions this week were all exhausted.

So manager Ron Washington took right-handers Jose Marte, Mike Baumann and Roansy Contreras before Sunday’s game and prepared them for what he had planned.

“I said, ‘Are you ready to finish this game today, because the other guys are shooting blanks?’” Washington recalled. “All three of them came in and did what they were supposed to do. I was very impressed.”

Marte, Baumann and Contreras held a one-run lead over the final four innings in the Angels’ 3-2 series-clinching victory over the New York Mets.

Ben Joyce, who appears to be on track to be the Angels’ closer of the future, was unavailable after getting the final four outs of Saturday’s win. Hunter Strickland and Hans Crouse, who had been reliable until they struggled this week, also were unavailable.

Contreras earned his second save of the season, striking out two batters in a perfect inning. Since the Angels’ brief experiment with him as a starter, Contreras has allowed two earned runs in 10-1/3 innings with 13 strikeouts over his last eight games as a reliever. He said he recently changed the way he throws his slider and that has made a difference.

“I’m used to being a starter, but I feel comfortable (pitching in relief),” Contreras said through an interpreter. “I’m enjoying it the best I can. It’s what they’ve asked me to do, so I’m enjoying it.”

Marte was the first pitcher to take the mound after Griffin Canning’s five-inning start. Marte retired six of seven batters in two innings, lowering his ERA to 2.55 in 17-2/3 innings.

Baumann, who was acquired in a minor trade at the deadline, worked out of an eighth-inning jam with the help of a double play. The Angels would like to see if they can rediscover the Baumann who had a 3.76 ERA with the Baltimore Orioles last year. He is on his fourth team this year, with a 4.70 ERA.

The trio of relievers preserved the victory for Canning, who allowed two runs, one of them earned.

The game could have gotten away from him in the fifth inning, when he allowed a run on a double by Jeff McNeil and a single by Francisco Lindor with one out.

Washington took the mound to ask Canning if he had enough energy to outrun J.D. Martinez and Pete Alonso. Canning retired both of them on routine fly balls to right field.

“I told him, ‘I’m not asking you to say yes, because you think it’s the right thing to do. I need to know if you’ve got this,’” Washington said. “The rest of the guys stepped in and he said, ‘I’ve got it.’ He had to get past JD Martinez and Alonso and he did it. He deserved the win.”

Canning had a season-high eight strikeouts.

“I think I was hiding the ball a little bit better,” Canning said. “Hitters have been telling me that I’m probably showing the ball too long and that the swings are affecting me.”

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