Zach Neto broke open a tight game with a three-run home run, and the Los Angeles Angels closed their series against the Baltimore Orioles with a 4-1 win on Thursday afternoon.
Neto’s third-inning blast accounted for most of the Angels’ offense, while the pitching staff combined to limit Baltimore to one run. Los Angeles received a solid start from Ryan Johnson before its bullpen finished the job, with Samy Natera Jr. recording the final four outs for his second save of the season.
The victory allowed the Angels to end the series on a positive note behind timely hitting and effective relief pitching.
Neto Delivers the Key Blow
The decisive moment came in the third inning after the Angels capitalized on an Orioles mistake.
Wade Meckler reached on an infield single before advancing to second when Baltimore starter Brandon Young threw wildly to first base. Nolan Schanuel followed with a walk, bringing Neto to the plate with two runners aboard.
Neto connected on a 411-foot drive to straightaway center field, giving Los Angeles a 3-0 lead. The three-run homer proved to be the difference as the Angels never surrendered the advantage.
The inning highlighted the importance of creating opportunities through pressure on the bases and taking advantage of defensive miscues.
Orioles Get One Back
Baltimore answered later in the third inning with its only run of the afternoon.
Yohel Pozo led off by hitting a solo home run, his first since joining the Orioles after being claimed off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals in July.
The blast trimmed the deficit to 3-1, but Baltimore was unable to generate sustained offense against the Angels’ pitching staff for the remainder of the game.
The Orioles managed only three hits against Johnson before the bullpen took over.
Angels Add Insurance
Los Angeles extended its lead in the seventh inning.
Meckler reached base again and eventually scored on Schanuel’s sacrifice fly, providing an important insurance run that made it 4-1.
Although the Angels did not produce another extra-base hit after Neto’s homer, they continued to put pressure on Baltimore’s defense and made the most of their scoring opportunities.
Bullpen Finishes the Job
Ryan Johnson started for Los Angeles and worked 4 2/3 innings. The right-hander allowed one earned run on three hits while striking out one and walking five. Despite battling inconsistent command, he limited the damage and handed over a lead to the bullpen.
Mitch Farris entered with two outs in the fifth inning and earned the victory after recording four outs. He struck out two and walked one during his outing to improve to 1-3 on the season.
Samy Natera Jr. handled the final 1 1/3 innings to secure the win. The left-hander struck out two batters while closing out the game for his second save of the year.
Together, the Angels’ relievers prevented Baltimore from building any late momentum.
Young Takes the Loss
Brandon Young kept the game close but paid the price for one costly sequence in the third inning.
The Orioles right-hander worked 4 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on six hits. He struck out four and walked two while falling to 8-3 on the season.
His throwing error on Meckler’s infield single extended the inning and helped create the opportunity that Neto converted with his three-run homer.
Outside of that stretch, Young largely kept the Angels in check, but the early deficit proved too much for Baltimore’s offense to overcome.
Up Next
The Angels traveled to Miami to begin a three-game series on Friday. Los Angeles had not announced a starting pitcher, while the Marlins were scheduled to send right-hander Tyler Phillips, who entered with a 3-5 record and a 3.53 ERA, to the mound.
The Orioles headed to Texas to open a three-game series against the Rangers. Baltimore planned to start right-hander Shane Baz, while Texas was set to counter with veteran right-hander Nathan Eovaldi.
