Astros latest inexcusable loss ends in heartbreaking fashion

The Houston Astros entered Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Angels playing better baseball of late, victors in four of their last five including each of the first two games of a three-game set in Anaheim. Those four wins in five games brought their record to 30-35 and trimmed their division deficit to 5.5 games.

The Astros were looking for a series sweep against the Angels and had their ace, Justin Verlander, on the mound. Verlander wasn't great, but through six innings, the Astros held a 7-4 lead. They could smell a sweep.

Until they couldn't.

The Angels scored two in the eighth against Ryan Pressly, who continued his down year, and then found a way to win it in the ninth. The loss in itself was heartbreaking considering the lead Houston blew, but the way the game ended makes it even tougher for Astros fans to swallow.

Astros find new heartbreaking way to lose a game they had to win

The game was tied at seven heading into the bottom of the ninth. With the usually dominant Josh Hader on the mound, the game felt destined to go to extra innings. Angels catcher Logan O'Hoppe had other ideas.

At first, it appeared as if former Angels outfielder Trey Cabbage robbed what would've been a game-winning home run for O'Hoppe. Upon further review, Cabbage had the ball in his glove but once his body hit the top of that short left field wall, the ball rolled out of his glove. It was a rare break for what feels like a cursed Angels franchise, and another frustrating moment in what has been a brutal year for Houston thus far.

The Astros were so close to potentially forcing extra innings against a subpar Angels bullpen, but Houston's biggest strength entering the year, its bullpen, failed them once again. If the Astros miss the playoffs, losses like these will be the main reason why.