Jo Adell delivered a three-run double in the bottom of the ninth inning to cap a four-run rally as the Los Angeles Angels overcame a late deficit to defeat the San Francisco Giants 5-4 on Sunday afternoon at Angel Stadium. The victory allowed the Angels to claim the series and handed the Giants a disappointing end to a game they had largely controlled.
Veteran right-hander Justin Verlander started for San Francisco and appeared poised to earn his first win of the season in his fifth start. The 41-year-old gave up only two hits and one run over six innings, striking out six and walking two. He recorded a pair of strikeouts against Angels star Mike Trout, with one of the pitches reaching 97.4 mph, Verlander’s fastest strikeout velocity since last year.
The Giants led 4-1 entering the bottom of the ninth before their bullpen faltered. Ryan Walker, who was attempting to close out the game, issued a leadoff walk to Trout and then allowed a single to Jorge Soler. Logan O’Hoppe added a one-out single to load the bases. Walker hit Zach Neto with a pitch, bringing in a run to cut the deficit to 4-2. On a 1-2 count, Adell connected on a pitch down the left-field line that cleared the bases and gave the Angels a walk-off victory.
Yusei Kikuchi started for the Angels and allowed one unearned run over five and a third innings. He gave up five hits and four walks while striking out six, throwing 102 pitches before being relieved by Brock Burke. Kikuchi had been in line for the loss until the ninth-inning comeback.
Sam Huff provided what initially looked like insurance for the Giants with a two-run homer off Burke in the sixth inning. Huff, recently recalled, recorded his first home run of the season and 11th of his career. Tyler Fitzgerald scored in the eighth after singling and coming home on a base hit by Willy Adames. Adames had driven in Heliot Ramos in the fifth inning to give San Francisco a 1-0 lead.
The Angels evened the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth when Neto homered on the first pitch he saw from Verlander. That solo shot marked one of just two hits Los Angeles recorded against Verlander on the day.
Michael Darrell-Hicks (1-0) earned his first major league win after pitching the final inning for the Angels. Walker (0-1) was charged with the loss after allowing four earned runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning.
The Angels, who had won just once in their previous six games entering Sunday, will continue their homestand with a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates beginning Tuesday. José Soriano (2-2, 3.16 ERA) is scheduled to start the opener against Pittsburgh’s Bailey Falter (1-2, 4.91 ERA).
The Giants return home to begin a four-game set against the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday. San Francisco will send left-hander Robbie Ray (3-0, 4.19 ERA) to the mound, while Milwaukee counters with right-hander Quinn Priester (1-0, 0.90 ERA).
