HOUSTON — Jose Altuve hit a two-run homer and an RBI single and Ramón Urías also went deep to back up a strong start from Luis Garcia and lead the Houston Astros to an 8-3 win over the Angels on Monday.
Garcia (1-0) got the win in his return after sitting out more than two years while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He allowed three hits and three runs with six strikeouts in six innings in his first start since May 1, 2023.
The game was tied with one out in the fifth when Yordan Alvarez singled before moving to second on a groundout by Altuve. Carlos Correa then singled on a grounder to center field to score Alvarez and give Houston a 4-3 lead.
Cam Smith singled with two outs in the sixth to chase Yusei Kikuchi (6-10) before stealing second base. Mauricio Dubón walked and Jeremy Peña’s second double of the day scored Smith to make it 5-3.
Alvarez added an RBI single in the eighth before Altuve’s homer made it 8-3.
Zach Neto hit a solo home run and Jo Adell added a two-run shot for the Angels, whose two-game winning streak was snapped.
Garcia retired the first nine batters before Neto homered to open the fourth inning. Mike Trout singled with one out before Adell launched his 31st homer into the seats in left field to put the Angels on top 3-2.
Kikuchi gave up eight hits and five runs in 5⅔ innings.
The Angels haven’t announced their starter for Tuesday night’s game at Kansas City.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Zach Neto homered on the game’s first pitch and the Angels, with manager Ron Washington present for the first time in more than two months, beat the Texas Rangers and All-Star pitcher Jacob deGrom 4-0 on Monday night.
José Soriano (9-9) struck out six over 5⅓ innings and gave up four hits in his first start since coming off the paternity list. Four relievers finished off the Angels’ sixth shutout this season.
Washington hasn’t managed the Angels since June 19, and revealed before the game that he is recovering from quadruple bypass heart surgery eight weeks ago. He won’t return to managing this season, but wants to be with the Angels, and watched from a booth upstairs after being with them pregame.
DeGrom (10-6) is 0-4 in five starts since his last win July 22, and the right-hander was pitching for the first time in 10 days after Texas skipped his last scheduled start because of shoulder fatigue. The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner struck out seven, walked two and hit a batter over five innings. He gave up two runs and three hits.
Travis d’Arnaud had an RBI single in the Angels fourth, and Luis Rengifo had an RBI double in the sixth. Logan O’Hoppe led off the ninth with his 19th homer.
Key moment: Texas was coming off consecutive shutout wins and a three-game sweep over Cleveland before Neto’s leadoff homer extended his single-season franchise record to nine. He has 22 homers overall.
Key stat: Soriano faced the minimum 12 batters through the first four innings, benefiting from double plays after surrending leadoff singles in the third and fourth innings.
Up next: A matchup of left-handers Tuesday when Yusei Kikuchi (6-8, 3.42 ERA) pitches for the Angels and Patrick Corbin (6-9, 4.61) goes for Texas.
On the first day of spring training, at a Camelback Ranch facility adorned with ever-present reminders of the team’s 2024 World Series title, a Dodgers staff member took in the scene, then chuckled while reflecting on the club’s trek to a championship.
“Last year was not a fun year,” the staff member said. “At least, not until the end.”
Indeed, in the afterglow of the franchise’s first full-season title in more than three decades, the turbulent path getting there became easy to forget.
Last season’s Dodgers dealt with a wave of injuries to the pitching staff, inconsistencies in the lineup, and the club’s lowest full regular-season win total (98) in six years.
Fast-forward six months, and this year’s Dodgers find themselves in a similar place.
They are again navigating absences on the mound and in the bullpen over the last several weeks. Their offense has gone from leading the majors in scoring over the first half of the season, to suddenly sputtering over the last month and a half.
And after a 7-4 loss to the Angels on Monday, in the opener of a three-game Freeway Series at Angel Stadium, they are on pace for only 92 victories with a 68-51 record, clinging to what has dwindled to just a one-game lead in the National League West over the San Diego Padres.
Little fun. Lots of frustration.
Monday’s game was a lost cause from the start.
Despite getting an extra day of rest this week, after flipping places in the rotation with Tyler Glasnow for Sunday’s loss against the Toronto Blue Jays, Yoshinobu Yamamoto turned in one of his worst starts in the majors.
He gave up a home run to Zach Neto on his first pitch of the night, and another run later in the first inning after two walks (one of them on a missed third strike call from home plate umpire Dan Iassogna) and a Yoán Moncada single.
Then, in the fifth, his outing completely fell apart. Five of the first seven batters of the inning reached base (four singles and a hit by pitch). Four runs crossed the plate (including two on a Mike Trout single). And after Yamamoto walked his fifth batter with two outs, manager Dave Roberts was forced into an early hook, removing Yamamoto after 4⅔ innings and six runs (the most Yamamoto has yielded in his 41-game MLB career).
The Dodgers’ lineup didn’t do much better.
Over the first six innings, they failed to figure out Angels right-hander José Soriano and his upper-90s mph sinker, managing just two hits while striking out six times.
By the time they finally put a runner in scoring position in the seventh, the deficit had grown to 7-0 on Neto’s second home run of the night (this time off Alexis Diaz). And even then, they came up empty, with Alex Freeland grounding into an inning-ending double-play against former Dodgers reliever Luis García with the bases loaded.
Angels shortstop Zach Neto runs the bases after hitting a home run in the first inning Monday night.
(Jessie Alcheh / Associated Press)
Eighth-inning home runs from Shohei Ohtani (his 42nd of the season, and the 100th of his career at his old home stadium in Anaheim) and Max Muncy (a three-run drive inside the right-field foul pole) put the Dodgers on the board at long last.
But it was far too little, much too late — allowing the Angels (57-62) to improve to 4-0 against the Dodgers this season after sweeping a series at Chavez Ravine back in May.
When coupled with Sunday’s maddening loss to Toronto (a defeat that left Roberts outwardly perturbed in his postgame news conference), the last 48 hours have represented another backward step in a Dodgers’ campaign that is quickly growing full of them.
It has zapped whatever momentum was building after the team’s two series-opening victories against the AL East-leading Blue Jays last weekend. It has dropped the club to 12-19 since the Fourth of July, the fifth-worst record in the majors over that span. And, most consequentially, it has opened the door for the Padres (who have won three in a row and five out of six) to potentially take the division lead ahead of their visit to Dodger Stadium on Friday.
The only silver lining: The Dodgers overcame similar struggles last year, doing just enough down the stretch to win the division and march all the way to an unlikely championship.
But they were hoping to avoid such headaches this season, and mount a more enjoyable defense of their title.
With less than two months remaining in the season, that dream has come and gone.
The Dodgers can still win another World Series. But the road to this point has been anything but fun.
DETROIT — Matt Vierling hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning and the Detroit Tigers beat the Angels 6-5 on Friday night.
With the Angels leading 5-3, reliever Reid Detmers (3-3) walked pinch-hitter Jahmai Jones and Gleyber Torres to start the inning. Vierling batted for Kerry Carpenter and hit his first homer of the season over the Detroit bullpen in left.
The Tigers avoided their third straight loss on a night when Tarik Skubal gave up back-to-back homers for the first time this season.
With one out in the fifth inning and the Tigers leading 3-1, Gustavo Campero hit a two-run homer to left. Two pitches later, the Angels (55-61) took the lead on Zach Neto’s second homer against Skubal this season.
Skubal struck out Nolan Schanuel, but Mike Trout ended Skubal’s shortest start of the season with an infield single.
Troy Melton (2-1) picked up the win with 2⅓ innings of relief. New Tigers closer Kyle Finnegan pitched the ninth for his 23rd save.
Logan O’Hoppe gave the Angels a 1-0 lead with an RBI double in the second, but Detroit (67-50) scored three times in the bottom of the inning.
Spencer Torkelson led off with his 25th homer, Riley Greene singled and took third on Zach McKinstry’s double. Javier Báez followed with a two-run bloop single to left.
Jo Adell’s 24th homer put the Angels ahead 5-3 in the eighth inning.
The game was delayed briefly in the third inning when Angels center fielder Bryce Teodosio stumbled catching a fly ball and hit his head on the fence. He stayed in the game but was replaced by Campero for the fourth inning.
Key moment: With one out and a runner on first in the seventh, Neto hit a 106.7-mph line drive to left, but Greene made a diving catch to help Melton escape the inning.
Key stat: Skubal hadn’t allowed back-to-back homers since Salvador Perez and Jorge Soler did it in the first inning of a 6-1 win for the Kansas City Royals on July 25, 2021.
Up next: The teams face each other again on Saturday evening, with Detroit RHP Charlie Morton (7-9, 5.20) making his second Tigers start against LHP Yusei Kikuchi (5-7, 3.22).
Taylor Ward hit a game-ending three-run homer in the ninth inning, Zach Neto had a home run and three RBIs and the Angels beat the Chicago White Sox 8-5 on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep.
In a tie game, Nolan Schanuel doubled with one out in the ninth before Mike Trout was walked intentionally. Ward went deep against left-hander Tyler Alexander (4-10) to set a career high with 26 home runs.
Taylor Ward has his fourth career walk-off and third career walk-off homer.
Right-hander Kenley Jansen (4-2) pitched a scoreless ninth for the Angels (54-58).
Colson Montgomery hit a three-run home run and drove in four runs for the White Sox. They lost for just the third time in their last 12 road games.
The White Sox (42-70) took a 4-0 lead in the first inning when Robert had an RBI single and Montgomery followed with a three-run home run against Jack Kochanowicz.
Chicago made it 5-0 in the third on Montgomery’s RBI single.
The Angels started their rally in the sixth with a leadoff home from Neto. Ward had an RBI single, and Trout scored on a wild pitch. The Angels tied it in the seventh on a two-run double from Neto.
Key moment: The White Sox brought in the lefty Alexander to face left-handed hitting Schanuel in the ninth and his second hit of the game was a double to right to start the decisive rally.
Key stat: Montgomery played in his 24th career game since his debut July 4, with all seven of his home runs coming over his past 10 games.
Up next: Angels LHP Yusei Kikuchi (4-7, 3.30) is scheduled to start at home against Tampa Bay on Monday.
Aaron Civale pitched one-hit ball into the seventh inning and the Chicago White Sox beat the Angels 1-0 on Saturday night to surpass their win total from last season.
Chicago improved to 42-69 with its 10th win in 14 games since the All-Star break. It finished with a 41-121 record in 2024, breaking the modern major league record for most losses in a season.
The White Sox scored their only run on Kyle Teel’s RBI single in the second against Kyle Hendricks (6-8). Teel drove in Luis Robert Jr., who reached on a leadoff single.
Civale (3-6) struck out eight in 6⅓ innings. He is 2-0 in his last three starts, yielding an unearned run and seven hits in 17⅓ innings.
The Angels (53-58) got their only hit when Zach Neto beat out a slow roller down the third base line leading off the fourth. It was the team’s third consecutive loss. Nolan Schanuel walked after Neto’s hit. But Civale retired the next three batters.
Mike Trout sat out a second straight game after he missed Friday’s series opener with illness.
Brandon Eisert retired each of his five batters, and Jordan Leasure finished the one-hitter for his third save in seven opportunities.
Brooks Baldwin had two of Chicago’s six hits.
The White Sox (42-69) played without infielder Miguel Vargas, who was scratched because of a left oblique strain.
Pinch-hitter Yoán Moncada keyed a four-run sixth inning with a two-run single and Gustavo Campero also drove in two runs as the Angels beat the Texas Rangers 8-5 on Tuesday night.
Texas took a 4-3 lead with two runs in the sixth, one scoring on Ezequiel Duran’s RBI single and the other on an error. But two walks by Rangers reliever Jon Gray opened the door for the Angels in the bottom half.
Campero tied it when he doubled to shallow left-center, with Texas center fielder Sam Haggerty coming up short on his attempt at a sliding catch. Moncada lined his two-out single to right for a 6-4 lead, and Zach Neto doubled to make it 7-4.
The Rangers outhit the Angels 14-6. Kyle Higashioka had three hits, including solo homers in the fourth and eighth for his sixth career multihomer game. He scored three times.
Both benches and bullpens emptied briefly in the bottom of the eighth after Rangers reliever Shawn Armstrong hit Neto and Mike Trout with pitches, prompting an angry exchange between Angels interim manager Ray Montgomery and Texas manager Bruce Bochy. No punches were thrown.
Angels left-hander Reid Detmers struck out two in a scoreless seventh, and Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth for his 20th save. Jansen has not given up an earned run in 17 consecutive appearances, the longest active streak by an American League pitcher and tying the longest such streak of his career.
Texas starter Patrick Corbin shook off a 30-pitch, two-run first to complete five innings. He gave up three runs — two earned — and three hits.
Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi gave up four runs, three earned, and 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Rangers right fielder Adolis García, who dropped a routine fly that led to an Angels run in the fourth, robbed Nolan Schanuel of a two-run homer with a leaping catch to end the fifth, keeping the score 3-2.
Mike Trout homered and had a two-run single to close in on two milestones and Yusei Kikuchi overcame Eugenio Suárez‘s two home runs as the Angels beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-5 on Saturday night.
After the Angels took a 4-2 lead in the fourth, Trout followed Nolan Schanuel‘s leadoff single in the fifth against Zac Gallen (7-10) with his 17th homer. Trout capped a four-run eighth with the two-run single. He has 395 career homers and 994 RBIs.
Suárez hit his 30th and 31st homers, the first a 434-footer in the second into the rocks in center and the second to right center in the fourth to top his total from last season. He reached 30 homers for the sixth time.
Kikuchi (4-6) gave up three runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings. He took a blow to his pitching shoulder in the sixth on Josh Naylor’s liner. The Japanese left-hander stayed in, but was done two pitches later when Randal Grichuk singled to make it 6-3.
Arizona scored twice in the eighth after loading the bases with one out against José Fermin. Zach Neto and Schanuel had RBI singles in the bottom of the inning against Juan Morillo before Trout’s single.
After Suárez’s homer in fourth, the Angels rallied with three runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 4-2 lead. Taylor Ward, Jo Adell and Travis d’Arnaud doubled in the inning.
Gallen gave up eight hits and six runs in five innings.
Arizona’s Andrew Saalfrank pitched two scoreless innings in his return from a one-year suspension for betting on MLB games. He was reinstated June 5 and was called up from triple-A Reno on Wednesday.
The Angels moved within a game of .500 at 47-48. The Angels beat the Diamondbacks 6-5 on Friday night.
Key moment: After Arizona pulled within a run in the eighth, Neto, Schanuel and Trout had their consecutive run-scoring singles to break it open in the bottom of the inning.
Key stat: Arizona has lost three straight and 12 of 17 to fall to 46-50.
Up next: Diamondbacks RHP Merrill Kelly (7-5, 3.41) was set to start Sunday opposite RHP José Soriano (6-6, 4.00).
Travis d’Arnaud hit a pinch-hit RBI single down the left-field line in the ninth inning to give the Angels a 6-5 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night.
Zach Neto and Yoan Moncada each hit home runs in the first inning for the Angels, while Nolan Schanuel and Rengifo each had three hits as the Angels improved to 7-3 against National League West teams.
Randal Grichuk hit a pair of home runs and drove in three runs as the Diamondbacks dropped to 3-7 since July 2.
Arizona right-hander Ryne Nelson gave up four runs on seven hits with four walks over four innings, while Angels left-hander Tyler Anderson gave up four runs on eight hits with two walks over five innings.
Neto and Moncada powered a four-run first inning for the Angels, while the Diamondbacks followed with a four-run second that included Grichuk’s home run and a two-run double from Alek Thomas.
After Rengifo gave the Angels a 5-4 lead with a double in the fifth inning, Grichuk tied it with another home run in the eighth.
Kenley Jansen (3-2) pitched a scoreless ninth inning for the Angels.
Neto has seven leadoff home runs, all this season, and tied the franchise record previously held by Brian Downing (1987).
Marcus Semien went four for five and Corey Seager hit a two-run single in a seven-run third inning to help the Texas Rangers rout the Angels 11-4 on Thursday night for a split of their four-game series.
Patrick Corbin (6-7) allowed two runs and seven hits with six strikeouts in five innings to win his second consecutive start. Jacob Latz allowed a run over 3 1/3 innings of relief with six strikeouts.
Semien had three hits with an RBI and two runs scored in the first three innings. Seager went two for three as seven of nine starters drove in at least one run for Texas during a 13-hit outburst.
Adolis García launched his 11th homer — a two-run shot off Carson Fulmer in the eighth for the Rangers’ final runs.
Jack Kochanowicz (3-9) lasted just 2 2/3 innings for the Angels, allowing eight runs. Fulmer gave up three runs in 5 1/3 innings of relief.
Seager, Semien, García and Jonah Heim had four straight singles for a 2-0 lead in the first.
Wyatt Langford and Evan Carter had RBI singles and Jake Burger added an RBI double in Texas’ big inning.
Zach Neto doubled off Corbin and scored on Taylor Ward’s 21st homer to cut it to 9-2 after five. Lamonte Wade Jr. had an RBI single in the sixth and Neto hit his 14th homer — a solo shot off Dane Dunning in the ninth.
Key moment: Corbin gave up three first-inning singles, but the Angels failed to score when Mike Trout hit into a double play and Ward was thrown out at home by García on Jo Adell’s single to right field.
Key stat: The Rangers’ 3.30 ERA leads the majors, while the Angels’ 4.59 ERA ranks 24th among 30 teams.
Up next: The Angels host the Diamondbacks beginning Friday. Neither team had announced a scheduled starter.
ATLANTA — Zach Neto had three hits, including a homer, Nolan Schanuel added a two-run blast and José Soriano gave up only three hits in seven scoreless innings to lead the Angels to a 5-1 victory over the weak-hitting Atlanta Braves on Thursday night.
The Braves avoided a shutout on Jurickson Profar’s ninth-inning homer off left-hander Brock Burke. It was Profar’s second homer in two games since returning from an 80-game PED suspension.
Soriano (6-5) had seven strikeouts and did not allow a base runner to reach second base. Neto scored three runs.
Bryce Elder (2-6) gave up four runs, eight hits and three walks in five innings. Elder’s third consecutive loss is a disturbing trend for a team that placed right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach on the 15-day injured list with a fractured right elbow on Wednesday.
The rotation previously lost Chris Sale (broken rib), AJ Smith-Shawver (Tommy John surgery) and Reynaldo López (shoulder surgery) to injuries. Manager Brian Snitker said he may use a bullpen game Saturday in the second game of a series against Baltimore.
Key moment
After giving up 10 runs, nine earned and three homers in only two innings in a 13-0 loss to Philadelphia on Friday night, Elder gave up two more homers. Schanuel’s two-run shot in the second drove in Neto, who doubled.
Key stats
Matt Olson’s first-inning single to right field extended his streak of reaching base to 33 games, the majors’ longest active streak. Jo Adell’s first-inning single extended his hitting streak to 14 games, the Angels’ longest this season.
Up next
The Angels open a series at Toronto on Friday night when Kyle Hendricks (5-6, 4.66 ERA) faces Blue Jays Eric Lauer (4-1, 2.60).
Young Angels fans who lined the infield for autographs as the team jogged onto the field Sunday, may not know the thrill, heart-racing suspense of the postseason — nor the captivating, religious-like fervor the rally monkey could bring.
Neither did the Angels that took their places in the field, combining for zero postseason appearances — a group that hadn’t even made their major-league debuts when Mike Trout last led the Angels to the playoffs.
2014 represents the longest postseason drought in MLB. Meanwhile, the 2002 World Series title may read more as a story told by parents to the kids who ran back up into the shaded seats away from the blistering sun after receiving signed baseballs from a group featuring some present-day Angels — Nolan Schanuel, Christian Moore and Logan O’Hoppe.
Does the pressure of holding a postseason spot, potentially hitting a benchmark goal before the All-Star break, change the short-term focus of the franchise? When asked about the expectations before Sunday’s game, interim manager Ray Montgomery said he’s just focused on the now, a message he’s been trying to instill in the clubhouse since spring training.
“If we worry about ourselves and playing the day that we’re scheduled to play, and not worry about the other stuff, we’ll continue to be fine,” Montgomery said.
On Sunday, however, focus collapsed in the ninth and extra innings, a winning record remaining just past arm’s length in the Angels’ 11-inning, 7-4 defeat to the Nationals (35-49). Closer Kenley Jansen blew his first save of the season in the ninth while up one run, and despite a scoreless 10th from Connor Brogdon, he gave up three runs (two earned) in the 11th after a CJ Abrams triple broke the game open.
The Angels (41-42) had plenty of opportunity to hold on to secure their first winning record since April 20. Outfielder Taylor Ward had a career-high three doubles, the first of which scored Schanuel — who reached on a walk — in the first to give the Angels a 1-0 lead. In the sixth, down 2-1, Ward led off the bottom half with a double, on a ground ball deflected by a diving attempt by Nationals third baseman Brady House.
The eighth-year Angels veteran scored on a single from Jo Adell — extending his hit streak to a career-high 11 games — in the next at bat. Moore, who got his first taste of stardom Saturday with a fan meet-and-greet in Tustin, treated the home crowd to a go-ahead single scoring Adell later in the inning.
Quickly becoming a fan favorite for the Halos faithful, Moore capped off his introductory homestand with another clutch at bat — in a week that started with a bang thanks to his two home run spectacle Tuesday against the Red Sox. The rookie second baseman collected five tying or go-ahead hits across the homestand.
Angels starting pitcher Jack Kochanowicz was drilled in the left leg with a comebacker in the first inning, but pitched into the fifth until Montgomery pulled the sinkerballer after a walk and double. He gave up two runs and five hits and two walks, while striking out two.
The Angels bullpen was solid after Kochanowicz removal, combining for five strikeouts, three walks, three hits and two runs before extra innings began. Reid Detmers highlighted the combined effort, striking out three across 1 ⅓ innings, and helping Ryan Zeferjahn escape the seventh with just one run to his name. The southpaw was in line for the victory before Jansen’s blown save sent the game to extra innings.
Jumping for Jo(y)
Adell has strung together a potential AL Player of the Month-level campaign in June, socking 11 home runs — best in the AL — as well as .284 batting average and 18 RBIs.
So far, Adell is already on pace a career-high in wins above replacement rating with 1.0 entering the game, according to Baseball Reference, and is on track for career-best marks in on-base percentage and slugging percentage as well.
“I’m rooting for him,” Montgomery said. “The home runs are nice, and it’s a byproduct of being on the field every day, the work he’s doing. But everything defensively, base running, he’s contributing every way possible.”
Etc.
Zach Neto pinch-hit in the seventh inning for shortstop Kevin Newman and then played the remainder of the game — his first time back fielding since jamming his shoulder Tuesday.
Montgomery said before the game that conversations with Neto and the medical staff leaned to giving him a full off day, along with having the Monday off day, rather than just being in the lineup as the designated hitter.
But when push came to shove in a then-tied game, Neto (0-for-2) and Mike Trout — who began the game on the bench — had an at bat.
Zach Neto hit a leadoff homer and rookie Christian Moore had a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in a four-run eighth inning that sent the Angels to a 9-5 win over the Boston Red Sox on Monday night.
LaMonte Wade Jr. opened the eighth with a single off reliever Garret Whitlock (5-1). Wade stole second and went to third when catcher Connor Wong’s throw bounced into center field for an error.
Luis Rengifo walked, and Moore hit a sacrifice fly for a 6-5 lead. A single by Neto, who had three hits, and an intentional walk to Mike Trout loaded the bases with two outs. Taylor Ward walked to force in a run, and Travis d’Arnaud’s two-run single made it 9-5.
Angels left-hander Reid Detmers escaped a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the seventh by striking out Roman Anthony and Trevor Story with 96 mph fastballs. Sam Bachman (1-0) retired the side in order in the eighth to get the win for the Angels (38-40).
Angels closer Kenley Jansen left because of injury after four pitches in the ninth, and Hector Neris got the final three outs.
Handed a 3-0 lead before he took the mound, Boston starter Walker Buehler walked four and hit two batters with pitches during a five-run first. The right-hander finished with a career-high seven walks in four innings. But the Red Sox took him off the hook when Story hit a solo homer off reliever Ryan Zeferjahn for a 5-5 tie in the sixth.
Boston (40-40) scored three runs on five hits, including Wilyer Abreu’s two-run single, off Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz in the first and later pulled to 5-4 on Wong’s sacrifice fly in the fourth.
Key moment: The Red Sox squandered a chance to tie it in the fifth when they ran into two outs on the bases on the same play. Jarren Duran led off with a double but hesitated on Abraham Toro’s grounder to shortstop.
Duran was tagged out by Moore in a rundown, and the second baseman spun and threw to second to nail Toro trying to advance. Boston manager Alex Cora was ejected — for the second consecutive game — while arguing that Rengifo blocked second base with his knee.
Key stat: Neto has six leadoff homers this season, one shy of the franchise record set by Brian Downing in 1987.
Up next: Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet (7-4, 2.20 ERA) opposes Angels lefty Tyler Anderson (2-5, 4.56) on Tuesday night.
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.
The fans packed Angel Stadium last week, erupting when the star emerged from the dugout during pregame warmups, chanting “M-V-P” in his honor during the game.
Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees had arrived in Anaheim, and the old ballpark was abuzz.
“Anywhere we play,” Judge said, “it’s a playoff atmosphere.”
Angels fans haven’t seen a playoff game in 11 years, so there were plenty of good seats available for Yankees fans. In the top of the first inning, Judge grounded out.
In the bottom of the first, the Angels’ star strutted into the spotlight. Zach Neto led off the inning by launching a 440-foot home run — the longest of his career — and flipping his bat so dramatically that Major League Baseball celebrated on social media.
The Angels lost the game, but their shortstop rose to the occasion in a way his team so often has not. We would say Neto is a star in the making, with pop in his bat and swagger in his game, but he already is a star.
An All-Star.
“One hundred percent. For sure. No doubt,” said Angels closer Kenley Jansen, himself a four-time All-Star.
Baseball turns its All-Star ballot live Wednesday, and there is no shortage of Dodgers players worthy of votes. If Judge does not get the most votes overall, Shohei Ohtani should.
Freddie Freeman entered play Tuesday batting .368, and he leads National League first basemen in WAR. Will Smith is batting .331 and leads NL catchers in WAR. Shortstop Mookie Betts and outfielder Teoscar Hernández figure to attract some votes, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto should be one of the pitchers selected.
The Dodgers had six All-Stars last year. The Angels had one: pitcher Tyler Anderson.
This year, Neto ought to be that guy. His 10 home runs lead American League shortstops. Among all major leaguers, only Ohtani has more leadoff homers than Neto.
“It’s a no-brainer he is our All-Star this year,” Jansen said.
Angels shortstop Zach Neto high-fives a fan before a game against the Marlins at Angel Stadium in May 24.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Neto is one of seven major leaguers with 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in their last 162 games. The others: Ohtani, Ronald Acuña Jr., Corbin Carroll, Francisco Lindor, José Ramírez and Kyle Tucker.
Lindor is the only other shortstop in the group. That makes Neto a star in a rather bright constellation.
“He’s a superstar in the making,” Jansen said.
Neto almost certainly would need to be voted in by his peers, or selected by the league office. Even his manager admits Neto has virtually no chance to be voted in by the fans.
Angels manager Ron Washington said Neto is “definitely” an All-Star but suggested Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals, the runner-up to Judge as AL most valuable player last season, would be voted the starting shortstop.
“I think he is going to be the guy,” Washington said.
And Neto?
“They need some backup,” Washington said. “It doesn’t matter if you make the All-Star team as a backup. You made the All-Star team.
“I think he’s got the opportunity to do just that.”
Angels shortstop Zach Neto gives the safe sign as he slides on his belly across home plate ahead of the tag during a game against the Giants in April.
(Wally Skalij / Associated Press)
Gunnar Henderson of the Baltimore Orioles started at shortstop for the AL last season. Jeremy Peña of the Houston Astros has a better WAR than anyone in the AL except Judge, according to Baseball Reference. Jacob Wilson of the Athletics has a better OPS than Witt, and he is batting .355 — better than anyone in the majors besides Judge and Freeman.
“With all the shortstops out there, he is just going to have to bide his time,” Washington said of Neto. “Hopefully, he gets chosen.”
The fans select the starters, and the players in the AL and NL select the backups in their respective leagues. If the fans vote Witt, do enough AL players appreciate Neto’s game?
“Yeah,” Washington said, laughing, “because he bust their [butt].”
Said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts: “Love him. Certainly, his skill set plays. And, for him to be — what, a couple years removed from college? — I just love that he just has that feel for leadership. He’s already a leader. I can see it from the other side.
“He’s sort of like that old-school gritty ballplayer. He can beat you a lot of ways. He’s quickly going higher on the list of players I love to watch.”
The league office completes the All-Star rosters, in large part to ensure each team has at least one representative. It is not a given that Neto would be the Angels’ representative.
If two or three other shortstops are chosen, the league office could opt for catcher Logan O’Hoppe or, if position players are fully stocked, pitcher Yusei Kikuchi. If Mike Trout stays healthy and gets hot, the league office could give fans across America the Angels player they would most want to see.
Yet there is no question that Neto is the Angels’ best player this year, and a star for years to come.
“This guy,” Roberts said, “is going to be an All-Star for a long time.”
WEST SACRAMENTO — Taylor Ward hit a go-ahead grand slam, Logan O’Hoppe also homered in a five-run seventh inning and the Angels rallied past the skidding Athletics 10-5 on Thursday for their seventh consecutive victory.
Ward and O’Hoppe both connected off reliever Grant Holman (4-1), sending the A’s to their ninth loss in a row.
It was the second go-ahead slam in 10 days for Ward, who finished with three hits and five RBIs. He has an extra-base hit in eight straight games — one shy of the club record set by Darin Erstad in 1998.
Ward has 17 RBIs in his last 10 games. He and O’Hoppe each have 14 homers this season. Zach Neto also had three of the Angels’ 13 hits.
The Angels (24-25) completed a 7-0 trip, winning four games against the Athletics to sweep them on the road for the first time in 28 years. The Angels have hit multiple home runs in six consecutive games for the third time in franchise history (also 1961 and 2019). It’s only their third seven-game win streak in the last 10 seasons.
SACRAMENTO — Logan O’Hoppe hit two home runs and drove in three runs, Jo Adell and Zach Neto also homered and the Angels beat the Athletics 10-5 on Wednesday night for their season-high sixth straight victory.
O’Hoppe led off the fourth with his second homer of the game, third in two nights and 13th of the season, just before Adell hit his sixth. Neto’s two-run homer in the third, his eighth, gave the Angels the lead for good at 4-3. The Angels had five two-run innings.
Taylor Ward had three hits, including a triple and double. Jorge Soler had three hits, with two doubles and two RBIs.
Reliever Héctor Neris (2-1) got the win.
The Athletics have lost a season-high eight in a row during which they have been outscored 62-21. JP Sears (4-4) went five innings and gave up six runs and eight hits. The four homers he gave up were a career high.
Rookie Nick Kurtz hit his third and fourth homers. He also homered Tuesday. Lawrence Butler hit his seventh homer, a three-run shot,
Tyler Soderstrom and Max Schuemann had three hits each for the Athletics, who left 13 runners on base.
The Athletics’ Jacob Wilson, third in the majors with a .341 batting average, did not play after leaving Tuesday’s game when he was hit on left forearm with a pitch.
Key moment
Every homer went over 400 feet, with O’Hoppe’s second-inning two-run blast topping them all at 470, easily leaving Sutter Health Park, the Athletics’ temporary home.
Key stat
The Angels have homered in 11 straight games, the longest active streak in the majors. They have hit 15 homers in their last six games.
Up next
The four-game series concludes Thursday with the Angels’ Tyler Anderson (2-1, 3.04) set to start against Luis Severino (1-4, 4.22).
Clayton Kershaw paused halfway up the dugout steps Saturday and bowed his head. The jog he was about to make to the mound at Dodger Stadium would be the first steps of what is likely the final chapter of his spectacular career.
A moment of silent reflection was in order.
“I don’t like the word emotional, but there’s definitely some thoughts. It’s just special,” Kershaw said of his first outing of the season, an uneven four-inning stint in the Dodgers’ 11-9 loss to the Angels. “You get a little bit older, you just learn to appreciate that more. It was different.”
Kershaw threw his last pitch in August at Phoenix’s Chase Field; Corbin Carroll hit it over the right-field wall. Kershaw then walked off the mound and was put on the injured list with a bone spur on his left big toe.
The first pitch of his latest comeback came at 6:10 p.m. Saturday, a high fastball that Zach Neto took for a ball. The rest of the inning went downhill from there, with Kershaw giving up three runs on three hits and two walks in the first inning.
He recovered nicely, though, yielding two runs and two hits over the next three innings while striking out two over four innings in a wild game the Angels won behind a career-high five RBIs from catcher Logan O’Hoppe.
“I love getting back out there. It’s a special thing to get to go back and pitch at Dodger Stadium,” Kershaw said. “Obviously, I wanted to pitch better. I need to pitch better going forward. But I think there’s some glimpses of some of my stuff being there, which is good. The problem tonight was just command.
“But, you know, first one back and just to be back out here at Dodger Stadium was special for me, regardless of the outcome.”
Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw wipes his face during the third inning of an 11-9 loss to the Angels on Saturday night.
(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
A three-time Cy Young Award winner, Kershaw, 37, is the Dodgers’ all-time leader in strikeouts and is 30 shy of becoming the 20th pitcher in big-league history to reach 3,000. His 212 career wins are second in franchise history behind only Don Sutton’s 233 and his 2.50 ERA ranks third. He also ranks third in starts (430).
But he’s spent almost as much time on the injured list as he has in the Dodgers’ rotation over the last five seasons and the list of injuries includes so many body parts, it reads like a page out of “Gray’s Anatomy”. There’s the toe, which kept him off the opening day roster. Last season it was knee, toe and shoulder injuries. In 2023, it was his left shoulder. The year before that, his back and pelvis and before that it was his forearm, elbow and back again.
Last season was clearly the most painful, though. Kershaw made seven starts and pitched just 30 innings, both career lows, and missed the World Series. Days after the team’s victory parade, he underwent surgery for a torn meniscus in his left knee and another on his left foot that left him on crutches and in a walking boot for two months.
“The superstar players that I have been around, there’s always something that fuels them and they need that,” Roberts said. “Him not being a part of that last year, I know that that’s fueling him.”
Logan O’Hoppe hits a three-run home run off Dodgers reliever Kirby Yates in the seventh inning Saturday.
(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
With Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, Kershaw’s high school teammate, looking on, Kershaw struggled through a 38-pitch first inning, giving up a bases-loaded single to O’Hoppe and an RBI double to Matthew Lugo. But the Dodgers needed just four batters to match that with Andy Pages belting a three-run homer, his ninth of the season, to dead center in the bottom of the inning.
After Kershaw retired the side in order in the second, Taylor Ward put the Angels (19-25) back in front in the third, hitting his 11th home run. A walk, a double and a sacrifice fly from Neto extended the lead in the fourth before Kiké Hernández pulled a run back for the Dodgers with a lead-off homer, his seventh, in the bottom of the fourth.
Kershaw was done by then, having thrown 83 pitches, nearly half of them in the first inning.
“The stuff overall, I was impressed with,” Roberts said. “The velocity was more than it’s been in quite some time. At times the slider was good. At times the curveball was good. He mixed in a lot of change-ups, which was good.
“The command just wasn’t consistent. He got to a lot of two-strike counts and couldn’t put hitters away, where typically that’s his hallmark.”
The Dodgers went in front for the first time in the sixth, turning three walks, two hits, a stolen base, a wild pitch and a ground-ball double play into three runs and 7-5 lead that O’Hoppe erased with his 10th homer, highlighting a five-run Angel seventh inning.
Five players — O’Hoppe, Luis Rengifo, Lugo, Nolan Schanuel and Kevin Newman — had two hits each for the Angels, who will try to sweep the three-game series Sunday afternoon.
For the Dodgers, Freddie Freeman matched a season high with four hits and is batting .407 in May, raising his league-leading average to .375. Pages, Hernández and catcher Dalton Rushing each had two hits.
Notes:Shohei Ohtani, who went hitless in six at-bats for the first time since 2019, threw 50 pitches in his most extensive bullpen session since undergoing a second surgery on his right elbow in 2023. The up-and-down session, in which Ohtani simulated a break between innings, was his second in a week. … To make room for Kershaw on the 26-man roster the Dodgers optioned right-hander Ryan Loutos to the minors. To create space on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers moved Snell to the 60-day injured list.
SAN DIEGO — Taylor Ward hit a grand slam to cap a six-run ninth inning, and the Angels beat the San Diego Padres 9-5 on Monday night.
The Angels rallied against Robert Suarez, who had converted 18 consecutive save opportunities — including 15 this season. Alek Jacob replaced Suarez and struck out Jorge Soler before Ward delivered.
Suarez (0-1) yielded a one-out single before walking four straight batters, forcing in two runs. The right-hander gave up just one run in his first 18 appearances this year.
Zach Neto hit a two-run homer for the Angels in the third. But San Diego scored three runs in the bottom half.
Jackson Merrill hit an RBI single, and left-hander Yusei Kikuchi committed a throwing error on Xander Bogaerts’ comebacker, bringing home two more runs. Gavin Sheets then singled to left but Matthew Lugo threw Bogaerts out at home.
San Diego star Fernando Tatis Jr. led off the fifth with his 10th homer, and a Bogaerts sacrifice fly made it 5-3 in the eighth.
Kikuchi gave up four runs — two earned — and seven hits in six innings. Brock Burke (4-0) pitched the eighth, and Kenley Jansen fanned two in a scoreless ninth.
King struck out eight in 5 2/3 innings. He was charged with three runs — two earned — and four hits.
It was San Diego’s first home game this month after a 6-3 trip.
Key moment
Ward drove a 2-2 pitch deep to left for his fifth career grand slam.
Key stat
Suarez had never walked more than two in a game and had just four in his first 17 2/3 innings.
Up next
José Soriano (2-4, 4.00 ERA) starts Tuesday for the Angels against Dylan Cease (1-2, 4.91 ERA).
