ANAHEIM -- Both John Farrell and Eduardo Rodriguez insisted that, no, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim didn't know what pitches were coming Monday afternoon.
What mattered, in end, was where the wound up - all over, and on two occasions, out of the ballpark as the Angels teed off on the rookie lefty for seven runs in the second inning en route to an 11-1 laugher over the Red Sox.
"I thought early on in the first inning, he was a little quick in his delivery,'' said Farrell of his starter. "He had trouble commanding the baseball, saw a number of changeups pushed up to the arm side. Then, the second inning, (the Angels) were quick strike. But, no, it wasn't a matter of tipping anything off today. That's been rectified.''
Perhaps. But what remains is Rodriguez's penchant for big innings.
Monday represented the third time this season that Rodriguez has given up six runs or more in an inning.
He did so on June 14 against Toronto, and again, 11 days later against Baltimore, at which time his pitch-tipping was acknowledged.
"I missed some spots with some pitches,'' said Rodriguez, "with the changeup and the fastball. I didn't throw (the ball where) I wanted. I wanted some pitches down in the zone and they didn't go there. There wasn't good location today.''
Boston Red Sox
It didn't help that the Angels took a particularly aggressive approach, often teeing off on the first pitch of an at-bat.
"In situations were he was looking to get ahead,'' said Farrell, "they attacked him early in the count and squared him up.''
Rodriguez wasn't done any favors by his left fielder Hanley Ramirez, who clearly misplayed a catchable line drive by Daniel Robertson in the inning, allowing the ball to sail over his head for a two-run double.
Farrell didn't believe that Rodriguez was rattled by the misplay.
"Based on what we've seen,'' said Farrell, "I think he's kept a lot of the game situations under control, even on days when it's not going in his favor. So to suggest that a play (not made) in left field was his undoing in this game....I wouldn't go that far.''
Rodriguez has made 10 starts this season. In his three losses, he has a 19.80 ERA; in the other seven, he sports a 1.22 ERA.
"I just need to work on my location a little more,'' concluded Rodriguez.