Angels’ win streak ends after Garrett Richards gives up three-run homer

For the first time in 12 days, the Angels lost.

That happens. But the rampaging Angels did not expect to lose this way — not with their most dominant pitcher apologizing for one of his 102 pitches.

“It cost us the game,” Garrett Richards said.

That it did, because that pitch — a three-run home run by Trevor Plouffe — accounted for all the scoring in a 3-0 loss to the Minnesota Twins. Since their previous loss, the Angels had won seven consecutive games and outscored opponents, 44-9.

“We can put a crooked number up real quick,” Richards said.

The Angels did little with old friend Ervin Santana, who came within three outs of what would have been his first shutout in three years — when he pitched for the Angels. Santana lasted eight innings, giving up two hits to the first four batters he faced and two to the other 25.

Richards had retired 26 consecutive batters over two starts when, with two out in the fourth inning, Joe Mauer poked an opposite-field double inside the third base line. Richards walked Miguel Sano, then gave up the home run to Plouffe, on a slider that Angels Manager Mike Scioscia “didn’t get down and away enough.”

Fish tale

As Huston Street earned his 300th save Wednesday, Tim Salmon smiled. In 2006, when Salmon took the last at-bat of his distinguished career, Street was the pitcher. If Street did Salmon any favors — similar to the “pipe shot” fastball Adam Wainwright grooved for Derek Jeter in last year’s All-Star game — Salmon could not tell.

“He might have thought it was a pipe shot,” Salmon said Thursday, “but his ball was moving so much. It ran in on me.”

When Salmon batted against Street, the Angels and Oakland Athletics were tied, 10-10, in the bottom of the eighth inning. The Angels had runners on second and third with one out, so Salmon could focus on a sacrifice fly to drive in what could be the game-winning run. Or, with the crowd buzzing with anticipation over his last at-bat before retirement, he could swing from his heels and try for what would have been his 300th career home run.

He was overcome by indecision, he said, and he popped to shortstop.

“I didn’t get my home run, nor did I get the job done,” Salmon said. “I remember going back to the dugout and thinking, ‘That was my last at-bat ever?’ That was probably my worst at-bat ever, from the standpoint of being prepared mentally.”

He still got a standing ovation.

Short hops

The Angel Stadium faithful figure to be vocal Friday, when outfielder Josh Hamilton arrives in Anaheim for the first time since the Angels banished him in May. Hamilton is batting .237 in 81 at-bats with the Texas Rangers, with three home runs and a .718 on-base-plus-slugging percentage. In his two disappointing seasons in Anaheim, Hamilton posted a .741 OPS. … The Angels put third baseman David Freese (broken finger) on the disabled list and recalled third baseman Kyle Kubitza from triple-A Salt Lake. Kubitza arrived at Angel Stadium during the first inning Thursday; his 6 a.m. flight was canceled after the pilot announced, “This plane is broken.” Said Kubitza: “I got off the plane pretty quickly after he said that, especially with that verbiage.” … The Angels optioned utility player Grant Green to Salt Lake. They are expected to recall right-hander Nick Tropeano to make a spot start Friday.

[email protected]

Twitter: @BillShaikin