Sometimes, a pitcher's impact goes far beyond the scoreboard. That was certainly the case for Los Angeles Angels right-hander Alek Manoah on Monday night. Despite entering the game with his team already trailing by seven runs against the Cleveland Guardians, Manoah turned in a performance that had fans and teammates buzzing about his potential.

Taking the mound in the fourth inning, Manoah delivered five scoreless frames for the Angels. While he walked five batters, he limited the damage to just two hits and struck out two, showcasing the resilience that made him an All-Star earlier in his career. For a pitcher working his way back, it was exactly the kind of gritty outing his new team needed.

"I didn't know how many innings I was going to throw," Manoah said after the game. "I just grabbed the ball and made pitches. I was trying to be too perfect early on, but then I remembered my job was to keep us in the game and save the bullpen, so I just started attacking."

Tuesday's outing was only Manoah's second appearance since signing with the Angels in the offseason, and his first where he pitched more than a single inning. Though only about half of his pitches found the strike zone, Angels manager Kurt Suzuki saw plenty to like from his new arm.

"He grinded and gave us everything that we needed," Suzuki said. "Guys that are successful execute pitches when they have to, and he did a good job of that tonight."

Unfortunately for the Angels, Manoah's heroics weren't enough to overcome the early deficit. Los Angeles managed just two runs in the game, dropping the series opener to the Guardians. They'll look to bounce back Tuesday at 3:10 p.m. PT, with standout rookie Walbert Ureña taking the mound to try and even the series.