Logan O’Hoppe and Randal Grichuk hit home runs as the Los Angeles Angels defeated the Cleveland Guardians 6-2 in a game that saw six homers from both teams. The Angels were playing without Shohei Ohtani for the sixth consecutive game due to a strained right oblique. Despite his absence, the Angels managed to secure a win and break their losing streak.
Brett Phillips and Matt Thaiss also contributed to the Angels’ victory with solo home runs. Three of the home runs were hit off Cleveland starter Lucas Giolito, who was claimed by the Guardians at the end of August after being put on waivers by the Angels. For the Guardians, José RamÃrez and Josh Naylor hit home runs, but it wasn’t enough to secure a win.
Tyler Anderson pitched an impressive game for the Angels, earning his second win since the All-Star break. He worked a season-high eight innings, allowing only two runs on four hits with four strikeouts. Anderson retired nine consecutive batters before giving up a single to RamÃrez in the eighth inning.
O’Hoppe’s two-run homer in the first inning gave the Angels an early lead of 2-1. Grichuk’s two-run homer in the eighth inning provided some breathing room for the team. Phillips’ homer in the third inning was his first since July 2022 when he was with Tampa Bay. RamÃrez’s solo shot in the first inning briefly put the Guardians in the lead.
Giolito had a tough game, allowing three home runs for the fourth time in his last 10 starts. He has given up a total of 36 home runs this season, the second-most in the majors. Since the All-Star break, Giolito has struggled, going 1-7 with an 8.06 ERA. Despite a solid performance against the Angels, Giolito’s season has been challenging.
In terms of injuries, the Guardians are waiting to see how Triston McKenzie and Shane Bieber recover from their respective injuries before scheduling rehab assignments. For the Angels, INF Luis Rengifo has been placed on the injured list due to a right biceps tendon rupture, effectively ending his season. Additionally, 1B Nolan Schanuel was given the night off due to shoulder soreness.
The upcoming series finale will feature a matchup of rookies, with Tanner Bibee starting for the Guardians and Kenny Rosenberg starting for the Angels. Bibee has had an impressive rookie season, with 10 wins and a 3.05 ERA, while Rosenberg is still looking for his first win in the majors.
Overall, it was a solid performance by the Angels, who managed to secure a win despite the absence of Ohtani. The team will look to build on this victory and turn around their recent struggles in September.
