ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — When the Los Angeles Angels set a new franchise record for futility, Nickelback provided the soundtrack.
In a bid to break the tension of their epic losing streak Wednesday night, the Halos sent all nine batters up to the plate to songs by the much-maligned Canadian rock band.
These Angels can only wish they had as many big hits as Nickelback, however.
Los Angeles’ losing streak reached a team-record 14 games when Bobby Dalbec drove in the only run with a double in the sixth inning for the Boston Red Sox in a 1-0 victory.
“It’s a broken record,” Angels interim manager Phil Nevin said. “We keep saying it. The effort is good. These guys really want to win a game right now, and we know what it will mean for us when we do.”
Nathan Eovaldi (4-2) pitched five innings of six-hit ball with five strikeouts in Boston’s season-high seventh consecutive victory. With their second 1-0 win in three days at the Big A, the Red Sox remained perfect in June and on their 10-game West Coast trip (6-0).
With another lifeless offensive performance and pitching that was just good enough to lose, the Angels dropped to 0-2 under Nevin, who replaced Joe Maddon on Tuesday. The Halos’ baffling skid is now longer than the previous team record set across the final 12 games of 1988 and the 1989 season opener.
“Every loss is the same,” said rookie Reid Detmers, who pitched three-hit ball into the fifth inning. “Obviously closer losses, they can be a little bit tougher, but they all hurt. We’re moving in the right direction. Clubhouse is good.”
Los Angeles was 24-13 and in first place in the AL West on May 15, but the Angels have gone 3-18 since with a simultaneous collapse of their injury-plagued lineup and their perpetually poor pitching staff.
The Halos got seven singles but…
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