Adam Frazier singled, leading off the ninth inning for the first hit against Athletics starter J.T. Ginn, and Zach Neto followed with a two-run homer that gave the Angels a 2-1 victory Monday night.
Neto drove a 2-0 sinker 413 feet to center field, stunning Ginn and the A’s while ending a six-game losing streak for the Angels. It was their third walk-off win this season.
Ginn (2-2) struck out 10 and issued one walk on 105 pitches. He also hit Neto with a pitch in the sixth.
The right-hander was perfect through 4 1/3 innings and came within three outs of the first major league no-hitter since Shota Imanaga combined with two Chicago Cubs relievers for a 12-0 win over Pittsburgh on Sept. 4, 2024.
Lawrence Butler had a pinch-hit RBI single in the top of the ninth that drove in Zack Gelof for the first run of the game, but the Angels rallied to win despite getting outhit 7-2.
Walbert Ureña tossed six scoreless innings for the Angels, giving up four hits and striking out four. Ryan Zeferjahn gave up the first run of the game and walked the bases loaded, but Chase Silseth (1-0) worked out of the jam by getting slugger Nick Kurtz to ground into a game-ending double play.
Kurtz’s fifth-inning double extended his on-base streak to 41 games, tying Eddie Joost (1949) for the sixth-longest in A’s history. Kurtz is also tied with Kyle Schwarber last year for the longest in the big leagues across the last four seasons.
In a 15-2 win Saturday against the Angels in Anaheim, the Dodgers offense wasn’t able to gain much of a lead until the sixth inning. Then six consecutive free passes spurred an offensive explosion that put the game away.
In fact, Will Smith’s first-inning sacrifice fly scored the only run for either team through the first five innings, as the starting pitchers — Dodgers lefty Justin Wrobleski and Angels right-hander José Soriano — dueled.
Though the Dodgers scored first, Soriano avoided traffic on the bases more effectively than Wrobleski. That is, until Soriano lost command in the sixth.
Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski throws to the plate during a win over the Angels Saturday at Angel Stadium.
(Mark J. Terrill / Ap Photo/mark J. Terrill)
With one out in the sixth inning, Mookie Betts got the Dodgers’ rally started by drawing a five-pitch walk. Freddie Freeman followed suit and Smith wore a curveball to load the bases.
Soriano, who had only allowed one hit, didn’t regain his footing. He walked in two runs before being lifted. And then his replacement, Angels reliever Chase Silseth, hit Teoscar Hernández to bring in a third run for the Dodgers before they logged a hit in the inning.
Alex Call, the eighth Dodgers hitter to step up to the plate in the sixth, finally delivered the only knock of the rally, a two-run single on a ground ball through the left side of the infield.
The strong Dodgers fan presence at a sold-out Angel Stadium made itself known in the eighth inning when Shohei Ohtani drove a two-run triple into the right-field corner, raced to third as it bounced up and off the netting and then scored on a throwing error.
“MVP” chants broke out from the fans clad in blue.
They let out a roar shortly after, when Betts launched a solo homer to left.
The Dodgers continued the barrage in the ninth, scoring on pitcher Alek Manoah’s errant throw that past second base, Hernández’ sharp single up the third-base line and Ohtani’s bases-clearing double into the right-field corner.
That earned more “MVP” chants.
The Dodgers, one day removed from scratching left-hander Blake Snell and pivoting to a bullpen game on Friday, needed Wrobleski to give their relievers a breather.
The Dodgers’ bats ultimately helped take pressure off all the team’s pitchers.
It’s sad and stony-hearted that the Lakers should unload LeBron James, recoup resources, unload his albatross-like salary, and build a championship contender bolstered by Luka Doncic. Yes, James is still a top-15 player, but unable to lead an ill-balanced team to the NBA Finals.
The Lakers allowed sentimentality toward Kobe Bryant to distort their vision, signing Bryant to a two-year, $48.5-million extension. Bryant missed 39% of the games while the Lakers won 38 times in the two seasons. Abysmal.
The Lakers should use James’ $52.6-million salary to sign long, athletic players who can drain threes with regularity.
James might make a great addition to a championship contending team like the Cleveland Cavaliers. Otherwise, thank him for his greatness as a Laker.
Marc D. Greenwood Opelika, Ala.
Some legendary athletes, like Jim Brown and Sandy Koufax, retired at the peak of their careers. Other greats, like Muhammad Ali, Johnny Unitas and Willie Mays, waited too long. Memo to LeBron James: Which camp will you choose?
Denny Freidenrich Laguna Beach
After reading Bill Plaschke’s article about LeBron James — which closes with the line “Anywhere but here” — I have a better idea. Keep LeBron, get rid of Bill. Let him write anywhere but here.
Tom Irish Rancho Palos Verdes
Father Time is as undefeated just as Bill Plaschke is winless with predictions. Many before Bill have buried LeBron James, only to see him rise to the occasion once again and prove them wrong.
If this is in fact LeBron’s last go-round, it’s been epic! Thanks for the memories. If not, let’s see him alongside an injury-free Luka Doncic for a full run to next year’s championship!
The Dodgers opened MLB rivalry weekend with a blast — three to be exact — in a 6-0 win over the Angels on Friday at Angel Stadium.
The Dodgers also achieved something last year’s World Series-winning team couldn’t — they beat the Angels. The Angels had won seven consecutive games against the Dodgers, the franchise’s longest winning streak against its crosstown rival.
“Couldn’t beat these guys last year, couldn’t beat the Brewers last year [in the regular season],” manager Dave Roberts said with a large smile. “So it was nice to beat these guys.”
What changed? The Dodgers’ offense took command. They lit up Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz’s fastball. Andy Pages hit a three-run home run and Max Muncy hit his 12th homer of the season on the next at-bat to break a scoreless game in the fourth inning. Both home runs came off four-seamers Kochanowicz left too far over the center of the plate.
Roberts praised Pages’ ability to recover from slumps and not dwell too much on being uncomfortable.
“A young player, when it starts to go south, you can’t stop it,” Roberts said. “The 0-4 turns into a one for 20 pretty quickly. That’s what happened last year at the end of the year. Now, he had a little swoon and found a way to let it be, take walks or get a hit here to there to do some damage control until you get back to swinging long.”
During Pages’ at-bat, a pitch ricocheted off Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe’s left hand. Playing in his first game since returning from the injured list, O’Hoppe stayed in the game despite appearing to be in pain. He left in the sixth because of irritation in his left wrist — the same wrist he fractured on April 25.
In the sixth, Teoscar Hernández tacked on two more runs with an opposite-field home run after an errant sinker from Kochanowicz. The 33-year-old wore a big smile after he crossed home and was showered in sunflower seeds.
“Just getting the confidence back there,” Hernández said. “Getting better pitches to hit, hitting the ball harder, getting on base, taking a lot more walks, just do[ing] the positive things for the team.”
Hernández had gone 23 days without a home run, and had been moved down in the lineup. The left fielder said he wasn’t bothered by the change, though he joked about Pages taking his place as the sunflower seed shower manager.
“It’s getting better,” Hernández laughed. “He’s going to have my job when I’m not here.”
Dodgers pitcher Will Klein delivers during the first inning against the Angels at Angel Stadium on Friday.
(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
Shohei Ohtani also put together good at-bats. He walked and had a double, but he also struck out twice.
Freddie Freeman was notably absent. Roberts texted Freeman a couple nights ago and told him he would give him Friday off. Freeman, ever the competitor, tried to get Roberts to reconsider, but the Dodgers manager held firm.
Freeman is expected to return to the lineup Saturday with Kyle Tucker taking the day off.
“Tucker’s been trending for a while, Will’s been consistent, I think Teo’s on the way back too,” Roberts said. “We got a lot of guys that are swinging well, and to get Freddie off his feet tonight, I think it was a good thing in the midst of 13 in a row.”
The Dodgers (27-18) didn’t need Freeman with the way their bullpen was pitching. Will Klein opened after Blake Snell was placed on the injured list because of loose bodies in his left elbow. The Dodgers recalled left-hander Charlie Barnes to take Snell’s place on the active roster.
The quick pivot didn’t affect the Dodgers much. The team relied on eight pitchers — Klein, Edgardo Henriquez, Blake Treinen, Wyatt Mills, Kyle Hurt, Alex Vesia, Jack Dreyer and Barnes — to hold the Angels to two hits. No one ate up more innings than Klein, who struck out two and surrendered one hit across two innings. They also kept Tanner Scott fresh in case he’s needed Saturday.
“The only guy that went multiples was Klein, but, again, coming out of tonight the offensive run production allowed us to do that and give us a little coverage,” Roberts said.
The Dodgers now have a chance to do something last year’s team couldn’t: win a series against the Angels (16-29).
Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell was scratched from his scheduled start against the Angels on Friday, a person close to the situation but not authorized to speak publicly confirmed to The Times.
Snell started the season on the injured list with left shoulder fatigue and was brought back from his rehab assignment early to replace Tyler Glasnow, who was placed on the injured list last week with back spasms. In a 7-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves, Snell gave up four earned runs on six hits, with two walks and five strikeouts over three innings and 77 pitches.
The reason for the move was not immediately clear.
The Dodgers listed right-hander Will Klein as the starting pitcher when the team posted its lineup Friday afternoon, signaling that it would be a bullpen game.
CLEVELAND — Angel Martinez homered and Cleveland’s pitchers struck out 13 as the Guardians kept up their home mastery of the Angels with a 3-2 victory on Tuesday night.
Martinez, Patrick Bailey and Bryan Rocchio drove in runs for Cleveland, which improved to 29-4 against the Angels at Progressive Field since 2015. The Guardians have won the first two games in the series despite being outhit twice.
Vaughn Grissom homered for the Angels, who dropped to 8-17 on the road.
Cleveland starter Slade Cecconi held LA scoreless for four innings while striking out a season-high seven. Hunter Gaddis (1-1) worked 1 1/3 innings and Cade Smith got his second four-out save this season and 12th im 14 chances overall.
Martinez put the Guardians up in the third against Walbert Ureña (1-4) with his sixth homer, a shot into the right-field seats.
He nearly homered again in the fifth, but was robbed by right fielder Jo Adell, who made a leaping catch at the wall. However, the shot advanced Daniel Schneeman to third and he scored on Bailey’s groundout.
The Angels pulled to 2-1 in the sixth on pinch-hitter Oswald Peraza’s triple and a sacrifice fly from Adell.
Los Angeles threatened in the seventh against Eric Sabrowski, who yielded two walks but struck out the side.
Rocchio’s sac fly in the seventh made it 3-1 before Grissom’s second homer pulled the Angels within one in the eighth.
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt was back in the dugout after missing two games with an upper respiratory issue.
The Guardians announced the death of longtime ballpark public address announcer Bob Tayek. He had been the in-game voice at Progressive Field since 1999 before stepping away this season for health reasons.
UP NEXT
Angels LHP Reid Detmers (1-3, 4.33 ERA) starts the series finale against LHP Parker Messick (4-1, 2.30), who faces the Angels for the first time.
