The Los Angeles Angels avoided a series sweep on Thursday night by securing a 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Angel Stadium, thanks to a decisive solo home run by shortstop Zach Neto in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Game Summary
Neto, who returned to the lineup in April after recovering from right-shoulder surgery, delivered the pivotal moment of the game when he led off the eighth inning with a homer off Pirates reliever Chase Shugart. The 81 mph sweeper was lined over the left-field wall, breaking a 3-3 tie and capping Neto’s three-hit performance for the night. The Angels’ offense had previously tied the game with a burst of runs in the fourth inning.
Kenley Jansen preserved the Angels’ one-run lead in the ninth to earn his sixth save of the season and the 453rd of his career. With a runner in motion from first, Jansen induced a lineout from Oneil Cruz, which Mike Trout caught in right field to end the game.
Early Scoring and Comeback
The Pirates built a 3-0 lead early in the game. Cruz opened with a solo homer to right field, marking his second consecutive game with a home run. Andrew McCutchen followed with a double and scored on a fielder’s choice by Ke’Bryan Hayes. In the second inning, rookie Matt Gorski, called up earlier in the day, homered in his first major league at-bat with a deep shot to left-center. Gorski became the first Pittsburgh player to homer in his debut at-bat since Starling Marte in 2012.
The Angels responded in the fourth inning with a three-run surge across five pitches. Trout tripled to right, Taylor Ward singled him home, and Logan O’Hoppe followed with a two-run homer to right field to even the score.
Angels starter Tyler Anderson overcame early struggles, giving up three runs in the first two innings but then settling down to retire 11 consecutive batters. He escaped a critical third-inning jam with runners on second and third and one out, striking out Alexander Canario to end the frame.
Pitching Decisions
Ryan Zeferjahn (2-0) was credited with the win after a clean inning of relief. Shugart (1-1) lost after surrendering the home run to Neto.
Jansen’s ninth-inning save came one day after his previous appearance, as he secured the final two outs despite a Pirates baserunner.
Looking Ahead
The Pirates will continue their West Coast swing by traveling to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers, with right-hander Paul Skenes (2-2, 2.87 ERA) scheduled to start. The Angels head to Minnesota, where Kyle Hendricks (0-2, 4.50 ERA) is set to take the mound.
Betting Note
As game time approached, official betting odds for the matchup were not widely available through major sportsbooks. However, given their recent form and the Pirates’ advantage from earlier wins in the series, the Angels entered the game as slight underdogs.