Taylor Ward delivered a pivotal grand slam in the seventh inning, leading the Los Angeles Angels to a 10-5 comeback victory over the Oakland Athletics on Thursday. The win extended Los Angeles’s streak to seven games and completed a four-game series sweep on the road, a feat the club had not accomplished against the Athletics in 28 years.
The Angels, who entered the matchup as slight favorites with betting odds around -120 on the moneyline, trailed by three runs entering the seventh inning. Their offense responded with five runs in the frame, highlighted by back-to-back home runs from Logan O’Hoppe and Ward off Athletics reliever Grant Holman. The Athletics, listed as underdogs at around +100, saw their skid grow to nine games in front of a home crowd at Sutter Health Park.
Ward’s grand slam, his second in the past 10 days and sixth of his career, broke open a 5-5 tie, marking his 14th home run of the season. The Angels’ outfielder finished with three hits and five runs batted in, extending his streak of games with an extra-base hit to eight, one shy of Darin Erstad’s franchise record set in 1998. Over his last 10 games, Ward has recorded 17 RBIs, fueling a hot stretch for the Angels as they climb back toward .500 at 24-25.
Logan O’Hoppe added his 14th home run of the season as part of the same seventh-inning rally, continuing a strong offensive series that saw him hit four home runs. Zach Neto contributed three hits as the Angels scored 13 against the struggling Athletics pitching staff.
Angels starter Tyler Anderson surrendered five runs in 4 2/3 innings, issuing six walks without recording a strikeout. Despite the early deficit, the Angels’ bullpen stabilized the game. Hunter Strickland (1-0) earned the win after retiring four batters in relief. Brent Rooker gave the Athletics an early boost with a home run off Anderson, and Oakland held a 5-2 lead in the fifth inning before their bullpen faltered.
The Athletics threatened to extend their lead in the fifth, but a key defensive sequence by the Angels prevented further damage. A relay throw from Ward to Neto to O’Hoppe cut down a runner at home plate, preserving the deficit at three runs. Kevin Newman later drove in a run in the ninth for Oakland, but it was not enough to overcome the Angels’ seventh-inning surge.
Oakland starter Luis Severino delivered a solid performance, giving up two runs over six innings while striking out five. He now sits one strikeout shy of reaching 1,000 for his career.
The Angels, who have hit multiple home runs in six consecutive games, will return home to host the Miami Marlins. Yusei Kikuchi (0-4, 3.50 ERA) is scheduled to start against Sandy Alcantara (2-6, 7.99 ERA). The Athletics will begin a three-game home series against the Philadelphia Phillies, who will send right-hander Zack Wheeler (5-1, 2.67 ERA) to the mound.