Kikuchi

Yusei Kikuchi struck out a season-high 12 in seven innings, Jo Adell and Travis d’Arnaud hit solo homers and RBI singles, and the Angels beat the Boston Red Sox 5-2 Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.

Kikuchi (3-6) gave up two hits, walked one and threw 31 pitches in a shaky first inning when the Red Sox took advantage of shortstop Scott Kingery’s fielding error and scored two unearned runs on Trevor Story’s two-out single with the bases loaded.

The 34-year-old Japanese left-hander recovered and limited Boston to one hit with no walks over the next six innings. Kikuchi struck out the side in the second and fifth innings and retired the Red Sox in order in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings.

Kikuchi induced 20 swinging strikes and threw 74 pitches over the final six innings. Ryan Zeferjahn worked a scoreless eighth and ninth for his second save as the Angels (40-40) reached .500 for the first time since May 23.

Adell and d’Arnaud homered off Red Sox starter Richard Fitts on consecutive pitches in the fourth for a 2-all tie. Adell’s 433-foot shot was his 17th homer of the season and 10th in June.

Boston reliever Luis Guerrero (0-1) issued a leadoff walk to Nolan Schanuel and a one-out walk to Mike Trout in the fifth. The right-hander struck out Taylor Ward with a 97-mph fastball before allowing consecutive two-out RBI singles to Adell and d’Arnaud, giving the Angels a 4-2 lead.

The Angels pushed the lead to 5-2 in the sixth on singles by Luis Rengifo and Kingery. Trout followed with an RBI single with two out off reliever Zack Kelly.

Key moment

Boston had a chance to extend its lead in the first, but Kikuchi got Ceddanne Rafaela to ground out to second with runners on second and third, ending the inning. Kikuchi then retired 18 of the next 19 batters he faced.

Key stat

The Angels have used five starting pitchers — Kikuchi, Jose Soriano, Tyler Anderson, Kyle Hendricks and Jack Kochaanowicz — through 80 games, matching a franchise record set in 1999 for most games to begin a season using no more than five starters.

Up next

Jose Soriano (5-5, 3.39 ERA) of the Angels will oppose Washington’s Jake Irvin (6-3, 4.18) in Anaheim on Friday.

BALTIMORE — Gary Sánchez hit a seventh-inning grand slam, Ramón Urías and Jordan Westburg also homered, and the Baltimore Orioles completed a three-game sweep with a 11-2 victory Sunday over the Angels.

Cade Povich earned his first victory since April 24 as Baltimore secured its third sweep of the season, all in its last five series. The Orioles (30-40) are within 10 games of .500 for the first time since they were 15-25.

Nolan Schanuel homered for the Angels.

Baltimore took a 3-2 lead against left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (2-6) on Ramón Laureano’s RBI single in the fourth, and then chased Kikuchi in the sixth. Sánchez hit a two-out single and then came around when Kikuchi flung Cedric Mullins’ bunt single down the right-field line. Coby Mayo followed with an RBI double.

Sánchez broke the game open with his sixth career grand slam and first since Aug. 15, 2023. The catcher ripped Connor Brogdon’s two-out fastball to left-center for Baltimore’s third grand slam of the season and first since May 14.

Povich (2-5) came out of the bullpen for the first time in 29 career outings. He threw 3⅔ shutout innings after replacing opener Scott Blewett.

Schanuel hit a solo homer in the first for the Angels, and Urías responded with a two-run shot later in the inning. Westburg hit a two-run homer in the eighth.

Kikuchi allowed a season-high five runs — three earned — and struck out 10 in 5⅔ innings.

Key moment: Orioles reliever Seranthony Domínguez entered with the bases loaded and one out in the seventh and struck out Jo Adell and pinch hitter LaMonte Wade Jr. to preserve a 5-2 lead.

Key stat: Baltimore improved to 20-6 against the Angels since 2022, including 5-1 this season.

Up next: Angels RHP José Soriano (4-5, 3.86 ERA) starts the opener of a four-game series Monday at the New York Yankees. Baltimore has not announced its pitching plans for a four-game series at Tampa Bay starting Monday.

Yusei Kikuchi took a one-hit shutout into the eighth inning and Jo Adell homered and drove in three runs to help the Angels beat the Athletics 7-4 on Monday night.

Mike Trout had two RBIs for the Angels, who shook off the latest incredible catch by Athletics rookie Denzel Clarke in center field.

Kikuchi (2-5) yielded just a one-out single to Max Muncy in the fifth and exited after striking out Nick Kurtz with his 104th pitch to begin the eighth. The left-hander struck out five and walked one in a brilliant outing.

Muncy and pinch-hitter JJ Bleday homered late for the Athletics.

Clarke continued to dazzle with his glove, climbing the wall and hanging from the top to rob Nolan Schanuel of a solo homer in the first. Clarke ran full speed into the fence to make a courageous catch against the Orioles last week.

Zach Neto, Schanuel and Trout provided three straight RBI singles off Jeffrey Springs (5-5) to give the Angels a 3-0 lead in the third. Springs entered after Grant Holman opened with a scoreless inning.

Adell hit his 12th home run — a solo shot off Springs in the fourth for a 4-0 lead — and followed a sacrifice fly by Trout in the eighth with a two-run single for a 7-2 advantage.

Muncy hit his fourth home run — a two-run shot off Shaun Anderson in the ninth.

Connor Brogdon gave up a single to Luis Urías after replacing Kikuchi, and Bleday followed with his seventh homer to make it 4-2. Ryan Zeferjahn got the final two outs in the eighth.

Jacob Wilson went 0 for 4 for the Athletics, ending his run of five straight games with multiple hits.

Key moment: The three straight singles by Neto, Schanuel and Trout off Springs came after Holman retired them in order in the first.

Key stat: The Angels outscored the Athletics 31-18 in winning all four games May 19-22 at Sutter Health Park — the A’s temporary home.

Up next: RHP José Soriano (4-5, 4.11 ERA) starts for the Angels on Tuesday. The Athletics hadn’t announced a scheduled starter.

BOSTON — Automatic runner Zach Neto scored on Taylor Ward’s bases-loaded double-play groundout to lift the Angels to a 4-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox in 10 innings on Tuesday night.

Nolan Schanuel had two RBIs and Neto added two hits and an RBI to give the Angels consecutive wins for the first time since capping an eight-game win streak on May 23.

Kenley Jansen (1-2) pitched a scoreless ninth inning to pick up the win a night after getting a save and Reid Detmers got his first save.

Schanuel led off the 10th with a sacrifice bunt that was bobbled by reliever Zack Kelly (1-2), allowing Neto to advance to third. Mike Trout then walked to load the bases.

Kelly went 3-0 to Ward before he grounded into the double play. But it allowed Neto to score to put the Angels in front.

Ceddanne Rafaela had two RBIs for Boston. Jarren Duran also had an RBI.

Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi pitched five innings plus three batters, giving up three runs and eight hits with five walks. He also struck out five, including his 900th major league strikeout.

Zach Neto leans away from an inside pitch in the ninth inning.

(Robert F. Bukaty / Associated Press)

Boston’s Brayan Bello ended a five-game streak of not making it through at least five innings. He lasted six innings, giving up three runs and seven hits.

Key moment

With Boston trailing 3-1 in the sixth, Trevor Story led off with a walk. Rafaela then jumped on Kikuchi’s 89 mph slider, driving it 426 feet over the Green Monster for his fifth homer of the season. It was Kikuchi’s final hitter of the game.

Key stat

Boston drops to 6-17 in one-run games this season.

Up next

Angels right-hander José Soriano (4-5, 3.41 ERA) faces Red Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito (1-1, 4.78) in the series finale.