Griffin Canning pitched five stingy innings for his first win in six weeks and the Angels held off the New York Mets 3-2 on Sunday.
Matt Thaiss and Kevin Pillar each had a sacrifice fly for the Angels, who knocked the Mets out of playoff position in the National League by winning the final two in a three-game series.
The Angels’ bullpen gave up two hits over four scoreless innings, with Roansy Contreras working a perfect ninth to earn his second save.
The struggling Angels traded away closer Carlos Estévez and effective reliever Luis García ahead of last week’s deadline. But hard-throwing youngster Ben Joyce got four outs for his first career save Saturday, and more late-inning success for the bullpen followed Sunday.
“It felt a little bit sad because of all of the trades that were made, but at the same time, we told each other that we have to keep playing good baseball and we gave each other good vibes,” Contreras said through an interpreter. “We have just kept rolling.”
New York has dropped consecutive one-run games for the first time all season.
Canning (4-10) gave up three hits with four walks and eight strikeouts to win for the first time since June 24.
“I think I was in a good spot mentally, not trying to be so perfect and probably hiding the ball a bit better,” Canning said.
Jose Quintana (6-7) gave up three runs over five innings for the Mets, who are 1-2 to start a zig-zagging, 10-game, four-city trip. They head to St. Louis on Monday for a makeup game against the Cardinals.
“It was tough for me, especially commanding the ball in the beginning,” Quintana said after issuing four walks. “Too many times I was behind in the count and I feel off with my mechanics. During the game, I made the adjustments, but I gave up a couple of runs.”
The Mets took a 1-0 lead in the second on an RBI single from Harrison Bader before the Angels scored twice in the bottom half. Taylor Ward came home on Quintana’s wild pitch, and Thaiss had a sacrifice fly to score Jo Adell.
The Angels moved in front 3-1 in the third on a sac fly from Pillar.
New York pulled within a run in the fifth when Francisco Lindor singled to score Jeff McNeil.
With the Angels leading 3-2 in the seventh, Lindor hit a drive down the right-field line that was initially ruled a home run before umpires conferred on the field and called it a foul ball. A replay review confirmed the ball was foul, and Lindor flied out on the next pitch.
The Mets had another scoring chance in the eighth with runners at first and third and one out against right-hander Mike Baumann before Mark Vientos grounded into a 6-4-3 double play.
“We chased today. (Canning) kept making pitches and we kept chasing,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We created opportunities but we chased a little too much today. We couldn’t get the big hit, obviously.”
Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon (back) is expected to come off the injured list Tuesday before a series opener at Yankee Stadium, according to manager Ron Washington.