Tyler Skaggs’ feel-good start ends in loss as Angels blow three-run lead in ninth

The location of the pitch was good, on the outer third of the plate, but the action on Huston Street’s ninth-inning slider to Dustin Pedroia was not.

“It wasn’t very sharp,� the Angels closer said. “It just kind of rolled in there.�

Then it rocketed out of there, Pedroia slamming the pitch over the center-field wall for a three-run home run, the decisive blow of a stunning two-out, five-run rally that gave the Boston Red Sox a 5-3 victory in Angel Stadium on Sunday.

“It’s a terrible day, and I’m frustrated by it,� Street said after equaling his career high for runs given up in an appearance. “I feel bad for [Tyler] Skaggs. That’s the thing I feel the worst about.�

Two years to the day he tore his ulnar collateral ligament on a sultry summer evening in Baltimore, Skaggs gave up four hits in 5 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out eight and walking two in his second start back from elbow surgery.

But another feel-good day story Skaggs, who gave up three hits in seven scoreless innings in his return at Kansas City last Tuesday night, quickly deteriorated into a ninth-inning horror show for Street, who inherited a 3-0 lead after relievers Deolis Guerra and J.C. Ramirez each threw 1 1/3 innings.

The Angels had scored three runs in the fifth inning against knuckleball-throwing Steven Wright when Yunel Escobar, Kole Calhoun and Mike Trout hit consecutive one-out singles for a run, Albert Pujols hit a run-scoring groundout, Andrelton Simmons walked, and Jefry Marte lined a run-scoring single to center.

But Jackie Bradley sparked Boston’s ninth-inning rally with a leadoff walk, and Aaron Hill singled to center. Street struck out Ryan Hanigan and Brock Holt, and he thought he might have whiffed Mookie Betts with a two-strike slider that was a few inches outside.

“I wanted it, but it was off the plate,� Street said. “It was a ball.�

Betts ripped a run-scoring single to right. Up stepped Pedroia, who was hitless with three strikeouts in four at-bats and was so irate over a called third strike in the fifth inning that Manager John Farrell quickly interceded and was ejected by plate umpire Gabe Morales.

Pedroia drove a 1-and-0 slider for his 12th homer and a 4-3 lead, as the heavily pro-Boston crowd in Anaheim went wild. According to ESPN Stats and Info, it was Pedroia’s second career go-ahead homer in the ninth inning or later. The first was against Street and the Colorado Rockies on June 24, 2010.

Xander Bogaerts then lined an 0-and-2 slider over the left-field wall for a 5-3 lead before David Ortiz, in his last at-bat in Angel Stadium, flied out to end an inning that was reminiscent of a game against Houston on Sept. 13, when Street gave up five runs in the ninth inning of a 5-3 loss.

“I expected to get it done today, I had no reason not to,� said Street, who was pitching on consecutive days for the first time since April 22-23. “I wasn’t tired. I felt good out there. It’s been tough to get in a groove … but I’ve been trying to find it. Sometimes every mistake you make, you get beat on.�

Street sat out five weeks in April and May because of a left-oblique strain and admitted he may have come back too soon. He is 3-2 with a 6.45 earned-run average, striking out only 14 batters and walking 12 in 22 1/3 innings and converting nine of 12 save opportunities.

Hard-throwing right-hander Cam Bedrosian, meanwhile, is 2-0 with an 0.92 ERA and has not given up a run in 22 2/3 innings of his last 24 games.

But when asked whether he would consider promoting Bedrosian to closer, Manager Mike Scioscia said, “Not right now. We need depth back there, and we need a guy in the ninth inning who’s going to hold leads. That’s where Huston comes in.�

Street praised Bedrosian — “Cam has pitched awesome,� he said — but is not ready to relinquish the ninth inning.

“That’s not my decision,� he said. “In my head, I’m going to figure out a way and get it done. That’s what I’ve done my whole career. … I’ll figure it out. I’ll find it.�

[email protected]

Twitter: @MikeDiGiovanna