Moncada shows off left-side pop with 1st 2-HR game since '22

ANAHEIM -- It had been quite some time since third baseman Yoán Moncada had a multihomer game.

Moncada, though, came through with a pair of solo blasts but it ultimately wasn’t enough in a 3-2 loss to the Cubs in the series opener on Friday night at Angel Stadium. It marked the fifth multihomer game in Moncada’s 10-year career but his first since he did it with the White Sox on Sept. 8, 2022.

“When I used to play against them when I was with the White Sox, it was more of a rivalry,” Moncada said through interpreter Manny Del Campo. “But now I'm just happy to hit the homers.”

The Angels, however, registered just three total hits on the night while closer Kenley Jansen gave up a go-ahead solo shot to Pete Crow-Armstrong in the ninth. Jansen has been dealing with a rib injury but said after the game that he was healthy; he just didn’t locate his cutter.

“I felt fine, but just [was] terrible today,” Jansen said. “I didn’t like the way I looked today. Just terrible, stink. We’ll be better tomorrow.”

Like Jansen, Moncada has been playing through discomfort, as he’s still bothered by inflammation in his right knee that has limited him to only batting from the left side since he returned from the injured list in early July. But he made the most of his left-handed swing against the Cubs on Friday night.

“I've still been dealing with the knee, but the very important thing is keep going,” Moncada said. “Keep fighting to finish the season strong.”

Moncada's first homer came in the fifth inning off right-hander Javier Assad to get the Angels on the board. It came on a 1-0 curveball at the bottom of the zone and Moncada blasted it to right-center field. But it was the only damage the Angels could do against Assad in his six innings of work.

Moncada, though, tied the game with his solo shot in the seventh off reliever Andrew Kittredge. This time, Moncada jumped all over a 1-2 fastball at the top of the zone for his 11th homer of the year.

Moncada, who signed a one-year deal worth $5 million before the season, has batted .239/.330/.478 with 11 homers and 30 RBIs in 59 games this season. He dealt with a thumb injury early in the year and has been doing his best to maintain his knee. He’s hopeful he could swing right-handed before the end of the season, but said he’s not quite ready to put that kind of pressure on his knee.

“The knee has been the same,” Moncada said. “I'm just doing whatever it takes to play every game I can. So we’ll see when the season is over, what we do [and what my numbers look like.]”

It was an otherwise rough night for the offense, as Jo Adell was the only other Angels player with a hit -- and it came immediately before a double play. They also had two runners on with two outs in the sixth, but Taylor Ward struck out to end the scoring chance.

“Yo did a great job and the home runs kept us right in there,” interim manager Ray Montgomery said. “We didn't have a lot of threats. I know in the sixth there we had one with T-Dub at the plate, but I'll take our chances with him. We just didn’t get it done tonight.”

Left-hander Tyler Anderson, however, kept the Angels in the game by allowing two runs on three hits and two walks over five innings. He served up a solo homer to Kyle Tucker in the first and loaded the bases with nobody out in the third, but got out of the jam by allowing just one run on a sacrifice fly from Seiya Suzuki.

Anderson was aided in the fifth by an impressive play from center fielder Bryce Teodosio, who robbed Ian Happ of a homer with a leaping catch up against the wall in center. It was yet another spectacular play from the rookie, who has played his way into becoming the club’s regular center fielder since being called up on Aug. 2.

“He's been a godsend in terms of locking down that position with what he's done,” Montgomery said. “Obviously, the home run robberies are things that happen as a result of just being really good at what you do.”