According to FanGraphs, the Angels had a 1.4 percent chance of winning Saturday’s game in Texas against the Rangers, as they entered the ninth inning trailing 10-6. That number is based on historical precedent, meaning that when the team entered the top of the ninth inning with a four-run lead, they won 98.6 percent of the time.
The Angels didn’t get the memo. They rallied for five runs to bring an 11-10 lead into the bottom of the ninth with reliever Joe Smith on the hill. The Rangers appeared to be going down quietly, but Elvis Andrus singled with two outs on a line drive to center field. He attempted to put the tying run in scoring position by stealing second base. And it worked, for about a second. Andrus slid off the second base bag as he had too much momentum, and shortstop Erick Aybar applied the tag to end the game.
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The Angels are now 85-76, two games behind the Rangers in third place in the AL West. They trail the Astros, who play the Diamondbacks on Saturday night, by half a game for the second AL Wild Card slot. Buckle up, folks, this is gonna be a wild one.