Angels' top prospect Dana, young Halos learning from mistakes

ARLINGTON -- In the final weeks of the season, Angels skipper Ron Washington, the oldest active manager in the Major Leagues, is conducting what amounts to on-the-job training for the many young, inexperienced players on his club. He said before Sunday’s 7-4 loss to the Rangers at Globe Life Field that he wants the newbies to educate themselves and show what they’re capable of while they’re here.

“Anytime you're playing baseball at the Major League level, you’re auditioning, and it's also a learning experience,” Washington said. “All I want them to do is play baseball and understand the game. The things they don't understand, we’re going to help them understand. But there's certain skill sets that they have, and I expect them to bring that skill set here. ... You gain experience by being up here, but you have to bring your skill set. You just can't come up here and be a blind man.”

The Angels made a few blunders they can learn from -- among them a disappointing outing from starter Caden Dana and untimely errors by Charles Leblanc and Jordyn Adams.

Teaching moments abounded Sunday, not that it was much consolation to Washington.

“I want to win,” said Washington, who turned 72 this season. “I don’t care how young they are -- they played good enough to win the ballgame, I expect to win the ballgame and I want them to think the same way.”

Multiple Halos rookies etched their names in the box score on Sunday. Of those players, most were in the Minor Leagues three weeks ago. Some of them had played in four or fewer MLB games each entering Sunday’s game.

There were mistakes Sunday, but there were also successes, especially coming out of the bullpen. Relievers Ryan Zeferjahn (three scoreless innings, two strikeouts), Hans Crouse (1 1/3 scoreless frames, one strikeout), Brock Burke (one scoreless inning, one strikeout) and Ryan Miller (1 2/3 innings, two runs, both unearned) kept the Rangers from running away with a rout after they went up 5-0 against Dana.

Leblanc hit a three-run homer in the fourth, and the Angels had the tying and winning runs at the corners with one out in the eighth before stranding them.

“I think my bullpen was outstanding, especially after [the Rangers] put five on us in the first two innings, and we kept the ballgame there,” Washington said. “We picked and pecked and got back in it. We just couldn't get the big hit, and then we couldn't stop them in the eighth, not because of the pitching. It's because we just played a little shoddy defense.”

Leblanc and Adams each made an error that led to two unearned runs off Miller that inning.

Dana, the Angels’ top prospect and No. 72 overall per MLB Pipeline, was pitching in the big leagues for only the second time. He made his debut on Sept. 1, earning his first victory with six innings of two-run ball against the Mariners at home. But Sunday’s start went off the rails quickly when Marcus Semien homered on the first pitch of the bottom of the first inning.

Nathaniel Lowe added a two-run homer in the first inning, and Dana allowed a leadoff homer in the second, as well. He then allowed three consecutive singles and a walk before Washington came out to take the ball away. Dana faced five batters in the second inning but didn’t retire any.

In all, Dana faced 11 batters and recorded only three outs. In his one-plus inning of work, he allowed five runs on seven hits -- including three homers -- and a walk with one strikeout.

“I think I threw the right pitches, it’s just about executing them,” Dana said. “Leaving stuff over the middle. It happened too many times.”

The Rangers hitters were aggressive, swinging early and taking advantage of Dana’s inconsistent fastball command.

“Today, they jumped on him right away,” Washington said. “Marcus led off with the home run, and then it was, ‘Pow, pow, pow!’ after that. ... It just wasn't his day.”

It was, perhaps, a day Dana can learn from anyway.

“I'll go watch the video, see all the good things I did -- and just see the pitches that, obviously, I got hit off and try not to do that the next time,” Dana said. “Every day [since being called up] has been a learning experience.”