The Angels’ Logan O’Hoppe hits a solo home run during the second inning of their game against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Angels starting pitcher Roansy Contreras throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Texas Rangers’ Josh Smith runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of their game against the Angels on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Texas Rangers’ Josh Smith, right, celebrates with Manager Bruce Bochy as he returns to the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of their game against the Angels on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Angels designated hitter Anthony Rendon dodges a ball he hit as he grounds out to Texas Rangers catcher Andrew Knizner, not pictured, during the first inning on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Angels’ Nolan Schanuel celebrates after hitting a double during the first inning of their game against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the Angels on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Angels’ Logan O’Hoppe hits a solo home run during the second inning of their game against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Angels’ Logan O’Hoppe celebrates as he runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of their game against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Angels’ Logan O’Hoppe celebrates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of their game against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. O’Hoppe hit a second home run a few innings later. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Angels shortstop Zach Neto, right, fields a ball hit for a single by the Texas Rangers’ Josh Smith next to second baseman Keston Hiura during the third inning on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
See AlsoIs There an Angel of Death in the Bible?What Does the Bible Say About The Angel Of Death?Is a 'Death Angel' Biblical and How Does it Relate to End Times? - Topical Studies“Not My Decision”: ‘Sound Of Hope’ EP Letitia Wright Distances Herself From Pic’s Right-Wing Promoter Daily Wire; Distributor Angel Studios RespondsAngels relief pitcher Hunter Strickland throws to the plate during the third inning of their game against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Texas Rangers’ Adolis Garcia, right, reacts as Marcus Semien (2) scores on a sacrifice fly hit by Wyatt Langford during the third inning of their game against the Angels on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Angels designated hitter Anthony Rendon, right, greets Texas Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien after hitting a double during the third inning on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Angels’ Nolan Schanuel runs after hitting an RBI double during the third inning of their game against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Angels’ Nolan Schanuel, right, slides into second base in front of Texas Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien after hitting an RBI double during the third inning on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Angels’ Nolan Schanuel, left, reacts next to Texas Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien after hitting an RBI double during the third inning of their game against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Angels designated hitter Anthony Rendon celebrates in the dugout after scoring on a double by Nolan Schanuel during the third inning of their game against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Angels’ Taylor Ward attempts to reach third on a fielding error by Texas Rangers right fielder Derek Hill during the third inning on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. Ward was thrown out. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Angels’ Taylor Ward, front, is tagged out by Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Smith after attempting to reach third on a fielding error by right fielder Derek Hill during the third inning on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Angels’ Logan O’Hoppe celebrates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning of their game against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. It was O’Hoppe’s second homer of the game, but the Angels lost, 5-4. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Texas Rangers center fielder Leody Taveras fields a ball hit for a single by the Angels’ Zach Neto during the seventh inning on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer high-fives teammates in the dugout after being replaced during the seventh inning of their game against the Angels on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Angels designated hitter Anthony Rendon trots to first base after drawing a walk during the seventh inning of their game against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Texas Rangers’ Adolis García hits a go-ahead solo home run during the eighth inning of their game against the Angels on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Texas Rangers’ Adolis García follows through with his swing as he watches the flight of his go-ahead solo home run during the eighth inning of their game against the Angels on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Texas Rangers’ Adolis García watches the flight of his go-ahead solo home run during the eighth inning of their game against the Angels on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Texas Rangers’ Adolis Garcia runs the bases after hitting a go-ahead solo home run during the eighth inning of their game against the Angels on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Texas Rangers’ Adolis Garcia, left, celebrates with Nathaniel Lowe after hitting a go-ahead solo home run during the eighth inning of their game against the Angels on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Texas Rangers’ Adolis García celebrates in the dugout after hitting a go-ahead solo home run during the eighth inning of their game against the Angels on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Texas Rangers’ Corey Seager ducks away from a pitch thrown by Angels relief pitcher Matt Moore during the ninth inning on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Texas Rangers relief pitcher Kirby Yates throws to the plate during the ninth inning of their game against the Angels on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Texas Rangers relief pitcher Kirby Yates, left, and catcher Andrew Knizner celebrate after their 5-4 victory over the Angels on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Texas Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien, right, and shortstop Corey Seager celebrate after their 5-4 victory over the Angels on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Texas Rangers center fielder Leody Taveras, left, and second baseman Marcus Semien celebrate after their 5-4 victory over the Angels on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
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ANAHEIM — In the summer of 2022, when Logan O’Hoppe was still in Double-A with the Philadelphia Phillies, his team faced Max Scherzer, who was rehabbing with the New York Mets.
“He carved me up then, punched me out twice,” O’Hoppe said. “That was a lesson learned. Can’t let anything go when he’s on the mound.”
The lesson paid off two years later, this time in the big leagues. O’Hoppe hit a pair of first-pitch homers against the Hall of Fame-bound Scherzer, although it wasn’t enough for the Angels, who lost to the Texas Rangers, 5-4.
“I watched him growing up a ton,” O’Hoppe said. “He’s been so dominant his whole career, but doesn’t matter being on losing end now.”
After O’Hoppe’s second homer, in the fourth inning, tied the score, it remained tied until Rangers slugger Adolis García hit a solo homer against Angels right-hander Luis Garcia in the top of the eighth.
“Tonight he tried to put us on his back,” Angels manager Ron Washington said of O’Hoppe. “We just came up short.”
It was the eighth loss in the last nine games for the Angels (37-54), who equaled their season-worst at 17 games under .500.
This season has been over for a while, leaving the Angels to simply see what they have for the future.
And they clearly have their catcher.
O’Hoppe, who also singled in his third at-bat against Scherzer, now has 14 homers, equaling his total from last season. He’s batting .282 with an .825 OPS.
It was the second multi-homer game of his career, including one last September in Seattle.
O’Hoppe got a first-pitch hanging curveball that he hit out to left-center in the second inning. In the fourth, Scherzer threw him a first-pitch fastball down the middle and O’Hoppe hit it out to center.
“I just knew I couldn’t let good pitches go with a guy like that on the mound,” O’Hoppe said.
The homer helped the Angels erase an early 4-1 deficit, but they never got the lead.
Starter Roansy Contreras had a second straight rough outing, allowing four runs in two innings. The Angels have given Contreras the ball three times as a starter, and he has yet to last more than three innings.
It seems he will continue in the rotation until the Angels are ready to bring up Reid Detmers, Chase Silseth, Kenny Rosenberg or Sam Bachman.
Contreras allowed a Josh Smith homer in the first inning, and in the third he couldn’t get a single out. He allowed three straight hits, driving in a run. After an intentional walk loaded the bases, he gave up an infield hit.
“He was getting ahead of hitters, and then when he needed to leave the strike zone, he didn’t,” Washington said. “It’s a growing time for him. He’s 24 years old. He’s got to learn those type of things. Hopefully he can gather that information and become the type of baseball player we need him to be.”
Contreras was spared a loss, though, because the Angels were able to do some damage against Scherzer.
In between O’Hoppe’s homers in the second and fourth innings, the Angels scored two in the third on consecutive hits from Anthony Rendon, Nolan Schanuel and Taylor Ward.
Ward hit a routine single to right, but the ball skipped past right fielder Derek Hill. Ward, who hurt his knee on Sunday, tried to go all the way to third on the error, but he was thrown out.
After O’Hoppe’s homer tied it, his single int the seventh gave them a shot to take the lead. The Angels loaded the bases with two outs, but Schanuel grounded out to end the inning.
“We played our butts off tonight,” Washington said. “Put ourselves in position to do something really good. But we just couldn’t get that hit.”
LOGAN O'HAMMERED THAT ONE🔨🔨@Angels I #RepTheHalo pic.twitter.com/ZSqsownhbL
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) July 10, 2024
AND HE DOES IT AGAIN🔨🚀@Angels I #RepTheHalo pic.twitter.com/kqPiqm4uw2
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) July 10, 2024
Wash discusses the loss and O'Hoppe's game🎤@Angels I #AngelsLive pic.twitter.com/7zWhxhu9Iy
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) July 10, 2024
