The Los Angeles Angels used a six-run seventh inning to overtake the Washington Nationals and secure an 8-2 win on Saturday night at Angel Stadium. Mike Trout tied the game with a solo home run, and Kevin Newman added a three-run blast later in the inning to propel the Angels to their second consecutive win in the weekend series.
Entering the game as slight favorites with moneyline odds around -115, the Angels relied on timely hitting and a solid bullpen to overcome a late deficit. Trout’s 13th home run of the season came off reliever Zach Brzykcy, erasing a 2-1 Nationals lead established moments earlier on Riley Adams’ RBI single off Ryan Zeferjahn. Trout’s leadoff homer sparked a prolonged rally in which 11 batters reached the plate for Los Angeles.
Christian Moore followed with a two-out RBI single that gave the Angels the lead. Batting ninth, Newman capped the inning with a three-run home run off Eduardo Salazar, his first of the season, to give Los Angeles a 6-2 cushion. Luis Rengifo’s double and Taylor Ward’s bases-loaded walk added two more runs, and Gustavo Campero extended the lead with a solo home run in the eighth inning.
The offensive burst came after six tight innings in which both starting pitchers performed effectively. Michael Soroka delivered six strong innings for Washington, allowing just two hits, one run, and striking out five. He did not factor into the decision. Angels starter Kyle Hendricks also turned in a reliable outing, allowing one run on three hits over five innings.
The Angels opened the scoring in the second inning. A pitch hit Taylor Ward and later scored on a double-play grounder from Logan O’Hoppe. Washington tied it in the fifth when CJ Abrams connected on his 12th home run of the season, a solo shot to right field.
Despite prior struggles in that frame, Soroka appeared poised to handle the sixth inning, entering with a 3.49 ERA through five innings but a 22.85 ERA in the sixth. He responded well after allowing a leadoff single to Newman, inducing a 1-6-3 double play and retiring Nolan Schanuel to maintain a 1-1 tie.
The Nationals briefly took a 2-1 lead in the top of the seventh but could not sustain the momentum against a sharp Angels bullpen. Zeferjahn earned the win, improving to 5-1, while Brzykcy took the loss in his major league debut.
The Angels and Nationals will conclude the series on Sunday. Washington is scheduled to send left-hander Mitchell Parker (5-8, 4.59 ERA) to the mound, while Los Angeles counters with right-hander Jack Kochanowicz (3-8, 5.49 ERA). The betting odds have not yet shifted significantly, with early projections listing the Angels as slight favorites for the series finale.
