Most important thing: Andrew Heaney (pictured) looked OK in his Cactus League debut, giving up a hit and a run, walking two and striking out three (including Joey Votto) in his three-inning outing. His main competition for a rotation spot, Nick Tropeano, struggled with his fastball command and it hurt with three straight long drives in the fifth — a double by Skip Schumaker off the right-center-field wall, a homer by Kyle Skipworth right around the same place and another homer to left by Jason Bourgoeis.
Second-most important thing: Up one with two on and one out in the bottom of the ninth, Ryan Mattheus — a long shot to make the Opening Day bullpen — served up a line-drive, walk-off three-run homer off the top of the right-field fence to Reds Minor League outfielder Juan Duran. It was the third straight game the Angels have lost in the ninth inning, after Edgar Ibarra gave up a couple of runs to the A’s on Saturday and Jeremy McBryde gave up four runs to the Royals on Sunday. You can officially get worried if it happens to Joe Smith and Huston Street.
Third-most important thing: Albert Pujols went 2-for-3 and drove in a couple with a line-drive single up the middle in the third. That’s four hits in the last two days for the Angels’ first baseman.
Fourth-most important thing: Johnny Giavotella sent a high fastball out to left-center field, Grant Green and Josh Rutledge each had opposite-field hits, and Taylor Featherston singled to left and stole a base. And that was your second base update for the day.
Fifth-most important thing: Mike Trout drew a walk on four straight pitches with first base open in the third and hit an infield single off Aroldis Chapman in the fifth. And that was your Mike Trout update for the day.
Best defensive play (that I actually saw): Non-roster outfielder Roger Kieshnick tracked a long fly ball from Brayan Pena, leaped up against the right-field fence and made a nifty catch for the second out of the sixth.
Quotable: Mike Scioscia on Tropeano and Heaney: ““For their first outing, they did fine. Chris [Iannetta] is trying to work with them to understand their stuff a little bit. It’s gonna take a little time. But I think the first impressions were very good. Nick Tropeano has terrific stuff. He just missed with his fastballs and those guys crushed them. Heaney looked strong. He has a lot of his life to his fastball.”
— Alden
