Playing in just his second big league game, Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis delivered a walk-off single off Hisanori Takahashi to cap a two-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning, sending the Angels to a 3-2 loss in the opener of a three-game series at Progressive Field. Cleveland tied the game earlier in the inning off closer Jordan Walden, who suffered his seventh blown save of the season.
Dan Haren had a magnificent start, allowing just one run on three hits and two walks in his 7 2/3 innings, striking out 10 Indians. The 10 strikeouts for Haren matched a season high, which Haren previously reached against the Indians on May 8. In three starts this year against the Indians, Haren has allowed three runs in 23 1/3 innings (a 1.16 ERA) with five walks and 28 strikeouts.
However, Haren was trailing until the top of the eighth, when Bobby Abreu hit a two-run home run off Vinnie Pestano to give the Angels a 2-1 lead. It was just the fourth home run of the season for Abreu, who last went deep on June 22. Since his last home run, Abreu was hitting .177/.309/.203 in 24 games coming into tonight.
For more news and information on the Angels, or on tonight's game, be sure to read the SB Nation blog Halos Heaven.