The New York Yankees secured a narrow 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium, completing a three-game sweep and extending their winning streak to five games. Clarke Schmidt delivered a standout performance on the mound, supported by three relievers who combined for a shutout to maintain the Yankees’ position atop the American League East standings.
Pitching Dominance from Schmidt and the Bullpen
Returning to the rotation, Clarke Schmidt pitched six scoreless innings, allowing only four hits while striking out four and issuing a single walk. Schmidt (2-2) threw 99 pitches in a composed outing that set the tone for the game. The Yankees bullpen continued the effort with Ian Hamilton handling 1 2/3 innings, Tim Hill securing the final out of the eighth, and Mark Leiter Jr. closing the game with two strikeouts in the ninth for his second save of the season.
The Yankees’ pitching staff has been exceptional over the past several weeks. Their starting pitchers boast a major league-best 2.54 ERA across the last 39 games and have held opponents to one run or fewer in 22 of those contests.
Early Run Stands as Deciding Factor
New York capitalized early, scoring the game’s only run in the top of the first inning. Paul Goldschmidt led off with a double, and after a strikeout and back-to-back walks to Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger, Anthony Volpe hit a sacrifice fly to center field that brought in Goldschmidt. Jasson Domínguez added an infield single to reload the bases, but Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi managed to escape the inning by retiring DJ LeMahieu.
That single run proved sufficient, as the Angels’ offense struggled once again, marking their fifth consecutive loss. Los Angeles scored just five runs during that stretch, which starkly contrasts the 7.6 runs per game they averaged during their previous eight-game winning streak from May 16 to May 23.
Kikuchi Falters Despite Limiting Damage
Yusei Kikuchi (1-5) took the loss after five innings of work. He allowed four hits, struck out four, and walked five, throwing 93 pitches with 51 going for strikes. Despite managing to prevent further scoring beyond the first inning, Kikuchi was unable to receive any offensive support from his teammates.
The Angels’ most promising opportunity came in the bottom of the second when Jorge Soler and Logan O’Hoppe reached base with no outs. However, Schmidt neutralized the threat by striking out Travis d’Arnaud and Chris Taylor before inducing a groundout from Luis Rengifo.
Looking Ahead
The Yankees will travel to Dodger Stadium for a marquee matchup on Friday night, sending Max Fried (7-0, 1.29 ERA) to the mound in a much-anticipated interleague showdown. The Angels, meanwhile, head to Cleveland, where right-hander José Soriano (3-5, 3.73 ERA) will start the series opener against the Guardians.
Betting Odds Recap
Heading into the game, the Yankees were listed as -140 favorites on the moneyline, with the Angels as +120 underdogs. The over/under for total runs scored was 8.5, with the game finishing well under the mark.
