How the Angels lost (8/5): Error by Freese scores winning run for Dodgers
How the Angels lost: In the bottom of the ninth with runners on the corners and two outs, the Angels played the infield severely in, anticipating a bunt or a grounder from pinch-hitter Andre Ethier. He chopped at Kevin Jepsen's curveball, dribbling it to David Freese at third base. Freese threw down to Chris Iannetta to get the force at the plate and an attempt to send the game into extra innings, but he didn't have a clear lane to throw it without forcing Iannetta to block the plate. The off-target toss hit the glove before it slipped out.
Freese was awarded an error and the Dodgers walked off with a 5-4 win to even the Freeway Series at one game each.
"It's not an easy play because of the pace of the ball," said Angels' manager Mike Scioscia. "I think David came in and did what he could do but there's not a big window to get it through there to get it through to thread it to Chris."
Stud of the game: Uribe drove in three of the Dodgers' five runs and scored one himself. The third baseman went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run in the second inning to tie the game.
Dud of the game: The matchup between arguably the best pitcher in the game, Clayton Kershaw, and the best hitter in the game, Mike Trout, was one of the most anticipated matchups of the season. Trout effectively won it when he lined the first pitch he saw in the third inning down the left field line for a double.
Both Kershaw and Angels' right-hander Hector Santiago gave up the same amount of earned runs: three. Not quite the battle that was advertised.
Freese could also be slotted into this category although the jury is still out on whether or not that was a playable ball.
Mike Trout vs. Clayton Kershaw: Breakdown of Freeway Series matchup
Key moment: Albert Pujols' game-tying home run in the eighth inning drew the ire of yet another sellout crowd but it was Ethier's ground ball in the ninth that made all the difference.
"The ideal play there would have been a strikeout," Jepsen said. "When a ball is put in play, it's running on third, running on contact -- everything has to go right ... I made the pitch and I don't even think he knew where it went at first. Freese made a great play and (Uribe) knocked the ball out of the glove. What are you going to do?"
There was nothing to do, according to his manager.
"The throw was a little bit into Uribe and it was a tough play for Chris," Scioscia said. "He's where he has to be to try to make that tag. The throw just kind of leaked into Uribe a little bit."
Key stat: The run scored by Uribe was the first of any sort given up by Angels' reliever Kevin Jepsen since June 21 when he gave up a solo home run. It was also his first loss of the season.
They said it: Trout hitting a batting practice home run that went all the way over the left field stands and bounced off the oning and into the parking lot. It reminded Vin Scully of a Willie Stargell's 505-foot home run and where exactly he was when that home run occurred.
"I would like to tell you that was the longest homer I'd ever seen... I was in the men's room."
Freeway Series Game 2 notebook: Santiago's breaking ball to Uribe
What's next: The gap in the AL West was extended back to two as the Oakland A's won in Tampa Bay. Conversely, the Dodgers extended their lead over the San Francisco Giants in the NL West to three games with their win.
The series moves down the 5 to the Big A in Anaheim for the final two games, both of which will be on FOX Sports West.
