Jo Adell’s run-scoring double in the eighth inning broke a scoreless tie and set the tone for a four-run frame as the Los Angeles Angels shut out the Atlanta Braves 4-0 on Tuesday night at Truist Park. The result brought the Angels back to a .500 record at 42-42, while the Braves dropped to 38-46 after losing for the fifth time in their last six games.
Entering the contest as slight underdogs with betting odds around +120, the Angels rode a dominant combined pitching performance and timely hitting in the later innings to secure the road win. Left-hander Tyler Anderson started for Los Angeles and delivered six shutout innings, scattering four hits and striking out seven. José Fermin (1-0), a rookie right-hander, pitched a scoreless seventh to earn his first career victory.
The decisive eighth inning began with Mike Trout doubling off Dylan Lee (1-3). Adell followed with a sharp liner down the left-field line, driving in Trout for the game’s first run. Moments later, Jorge Soler, who had just been activated from the injured list after missing 11 games with lower back inflammation, delivered a two-run double off reliever Enyel De Los Santos to extend the lead. The scoring concluded with an RBI single that gave Los Angeles a comfortable four-run cushion.
Zach Neto returned to the Angels’ lineup after a brief absence due to a jammed right shoulder and resumed his role as leadoff hitter. Interim manager Ray Montgomery noted pregame that the return of Neto and Soler offered a substantial boost to the offense, a sentiment validated by the team’s late rally.
Despite the loss, Atlanta received a strong performance from rookie right-hander Grant Holmes. Making his second major league start, Holmes went six innings and allowed just three hits while striking out 10 batters, matching a career high. His outing kept the game scoreless through six, but Atlanta’s bullpen was unable to maintain the deadlock.
The Braves missed several scoring opportunities, including in the fifth inning when Michael Harris II led off with a triple to snap an 0-for-22 slump. The next batters could not bring him home, including Ronald Acuña Jr., who finished the night with four strikeouts. Matt Olson extended his on-base streak to 31 games with a first-inning single, the longest active streak in Major League Baseball.
Braves manager Brian Snitker pushed Didier Fuentes’ scheduled start back a day to Wednesday. Fuentes, 0-2 with a 10.80 ERA in two starts, is expected to take the mound in the second game of the series. The Braves are also anticipating the return of outfielder Jurickson Profar, who has completed an 80-game suspension for a performance-enhancing drug violation.
The Angels plan to counter with left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (3-6, 2.79 ERA) as they look to move above the .500 mark for the first time since May.
