The Los Angeles Angels bounced back from a frustrating shutout loss on Saturday with an impressive offensive display on Sunday, led by superstar Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani crushed his MLB-leading 36th home run in the first inning to spark a 7-5 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Angel Stadium.
The victory completed a successful 6-3 homestand for the Angels, who now sit at a record of 51-49. Manager Phil Nevin expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance, stating, “The guys are responding well. They understand everything’s still in front of us.”
After losing two out of three games to the Houston Astros after the All-Star break, the Angels rebounded by winning consecutive series against the New York Yankees and the Pirates. With the trade deadline approaching on August 1, the upcoming three-city road trip to Detroit, Toronto, and Atlanta will be crucial for the Angels.
Currently, the Angels are four games behind the Toronto Blue Jays for the third and final AL Wild Card spot. A strong performance in the series against the Blue Jays could help the Angels avoid becoming sellers before the deadline and potentially retain Ohtani.
Andrew Velazquez, who hit his first home run of the season in Sunday’s game, emphasized the importance of winning the series against the Pirates, stating, “It’s like the playoffs right now for us. That’s why, going into this road trip, winning this series was very important.”
Ohtani’s home run in the first inning set the tone for the Angels’ offensive onslaught. He displayed his immense power by hitting a low liner that cleared the center-field fence, projecting at 410 feet. Ohtani is now on pace to hit 58 homers this season.
Manager Phil Nevin was in awe of Ohtani’s power, comparing the home run to a golf ball, stating, “Every day, he does something different to impress you.”
The Angels took the lead in the second inning with an RBI single from Eduardo Escobar and pulled away with a four-run fifth inning. Velazquez and Luis Rengifo hit back-to-back home runs to start the inning, while Taylor Ward added an RBI single and Matt Thaiss delivered a sacrifice fly. Rengifo added an insurance run with a solo shot in the sixth inning.
Rengifo’s performance was particularly noteworthy, as he recorded his third career multi-homer game and became the first Angel since 2022 to homer from both sides of the plate.
The Pirates attempted a comeback in the seventh inning, scoring three runs off Angels pitcher Tyler Anderson. However, the Angels’ bullpen held strong, with reliever Jacob Webb and closer Carlos Estévez shutting down the Pirates’ offense to secure the win.
Estévez spoke highly of the team’s performance, stating, “It meant a lot, especially with how we finished the first half. We found a way to turn it on during the homestand. We feel really good.”
With their recent success, the Angels will look to carry their momentum into the critical road trip and make a push for a playoff spot.