Sent in to mercifully end the Angels' post-deadline losing streak at six games, Halos closer Carlos Estevez was on the mound for the ninth inning on Monday night.
Looking to recover from his first blown save of the year from the last series against Seattle, Estevez failed to close this game against the Giants, citing execution rather than fatigue like his manager Phil Nevin suggested was the cause.
“Honestly, I feel good. I felt really good coming in today. I’ve just got to be better overall.”
After confronting a fan on Instagram from his earlier blown save in the previous series against the Mariners, Estevez was disappointed in his performance again on Monday as the Halos' losing streak extended to a seventh game.
Normally rock solid as a closer, Estevez didn't blow a single save in the first half and was rewarded with an All-Star selection for his efforts.
In the past week, it's been an entirely different story as Estevez's ERA has risen from under-2 to nearly 4 after his most recent three appearances in which the team's needed him the most.
Taking the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning after a tied game since the fifth, the Angels thought they had a sure thing with a one-run advantage and their best reliever on the hill.
Nevin's thoughts on letting Estevez pitch on back to back nights could've been reason for the assumption that his closer was fatigued.
Estevez, to his credit, is taking the blame much like two of his teammates in the starting rotation for their own poor performances lately, one of them being a recent trade acquisition for the Halos.
It's looking like another year without playoff baseball in Anaheim barring a massive comeback for the Angels that they're running out of time to make.
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