The ERA for San Francisco in its previous 20 games was 2.72. They’ve been so successful, so maybe they deserved one that didn’t go as planned.

After that, things started to go off the rails, and Scott Alexander failed to record a single release. SF fell so far behind after an impressive first inning by the Angels that not even a fully equipped Wilmer Flores could save them.

Flores continued his scorching second half by going 2-for-3 with a home run against former Giant Dominic Leone.

Although the rest of his teammates combined for just three runs, Flores drove in four of the Giants’ five runs. The Giants (62-52) lost unevenly to the Angels 7-5 after going hitless in seven of the nine innings.

Shohei Ohtani and the Angels win a game for the first time since the trade deadline (1-for-4, 1R, 1RBI, 1SB). Currently, San Francisco has dropped nine of its previous 10 away games.

The Angels established the tone with four runs in the first inning, setting the stage for the Giants to rapidly pile on six runs in the ninth inning of the series-opening game.

Los Angeles’ first three batters reached on a double and two singles to defy the Giants’ frequently unbeatable opening-game approach. Gabe Kapler took Alexander’s place when he failed to retire any of the players in that pocket of the lineup.

The Giants had a 15-5 record in their opening games as of Tuesday. It would have to be against the plan if they defeated the Angels on Tuesday.

Before taking a three-earned run beating, Alexander’s ERA was 3.21. Without receiving an out, he departed the game.

When Jakob Junis entered the game sooner than expected, the Angels’ four-run blitz was put an end when he allowed a single and a double.

With singles from Luis Matos, Joc Pederson, and Flores, the Giants responded with a three-run third.

His on-base streak now stands at a career-high 19 games thanks to Flores’ RBI single. His single up the middle continued one of the hottest streaks in baseball history and by far the finest run of his career. Flores had an OPS of 1.097 and eight home runs in his previous 40 games as of Tuesday.

Also, he wasn’t finished there.

The veteran pitcher AJ Pollock was replaced by Matos during the Giants’ rally that reduced LAA’s advantage to 4-3. Pollock had left side discomfort and left after two innings.

Pollock already had a spot on the Giants’ roster on the periphery. If the Giants hadn’t sent Seattle cash considerations and a player to be announced later at the deadline, Seattle probably would have dismissed him outright; the Giants might do the same to him soon. As a Giant, Pollock is 0 for 6 with a mistimed fly ball. Injury would undoubtedly hurt his case.

After their third inning, the Giants went four innings without a hit. During that period, Brandon Drury hit a home run off Alex Wood and contributed to the creation of an additional run in the seventh.

Dominic Leone, a former Giant, was given a chance by the Angels after they had a 6-3 lead. The job of removing Flores fell to Leone, who is currently in his third organization this year.

On paper, Los Angeles wasn’t in a good match. Flores applied it in his work.

Flores cut the Angels’ lead to 6-5 with a 409-foot bomb to left field. He moved into the team’s #1 spot for home runs alongside J.D. Davis, supporting Kapler’s claim that he is the finest all-around hitter on the roster.

Kapler was questioned last week regarding the Giants’ expectations for Flores’ continued performance.

Naturally, I believe this is who he can be, Kapler remarked. “This is the good hitter Wilmer has been,” someone said.

The Giants had better hope so for their benefit.