Zach Neto's 3-run double keys Angels to a 5-2 win over Oakland and a series sweep
Los Angeles Angels' Zach Neto rounds first on a two-run double against the Oakland Athletics during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, June 26, 2024. Credit: AP/Eric Thayer
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Zach Neto had a tiebreaking three-run double in the sixth inning, and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Oakland Athletics 5-2 Wednesday to sweep their three-game series.
Max Schuemann had an early RBI double that should have driven in two runs for the A’s, but Kyle McCann was called out instead when he failed to touch home plate and then made contact with teammate Armando Alvarez, who had already scored.
Los Angeles still trailed 1-0 until its five-run sixth . Matt Thaiss added an RBI double for the Angels, who have won four of five after just their third series sweep of the season.
Joey Estes (2-3) gave up three hits and struck out eight while pitching into the sixth inning for the A’s, who have lost five straight and 18 of 23. The right-hander walked two and remained winless in his past four starts.
Schuemann drove in another run with a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning for Oakland, which has lost 11 consecutive road games.
McCann followed Alvarez home to score on Schuemann’s double off Roansy Contreras in the second inning, but McCann stumbled approaching home and failed to step on the plate as he crossed it. He nearly ran into Alvarez, who reached out to steady him and to encourage him to go back to touch the plate, which he did.
But plate umpire John Bacon immediately called McCann out, because a player isn’t allowed to touch another player who’s still running the bases. Video review confirmed McCann had missed the plate on his first try, and the out ended the inning.
Los Angeles Angels' Zach Neto watches his two-run double against the Oakland Athletics during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, June 26, 2024. Credit: AP/Eric Thayer
Contreras yielded just one run on four hits and two walks over three innings in his first start for the Angels, who acquired him from Pittsburgh earlier this season.
Matt Moore (4-2) pitched the sixth for Los Angeles, which has improved to 12-10 in June after a rough start to the season.
Los Angeles’ sixth-inning rally began with Luis Rengifo’s leadoff single off Estes. Two Angels drew walks to load the bases before Austin Adams hit Mickey Moniak with a pitch to force in the tying run.
Neto drove a double to the wall in left moments later, clearing the bases with his latest clutch hit off Adams. Thaiss drove in Neto with his double on the next pitch by T.J. McFarland.
Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto throws to first after forcing out Oakland Athletics' Tyler Nevin (26) during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, June 26, 2024. Credit: AP/Eric Thayer
TRAINER’S ROOM
Angels: The injuries to Patrick Sandoval and Jose Soriano have forced Los Angeles to recall Davis Daniel from the minors for a fill-in start Thursday.
UP NEXT
Athletics: JP Sears (4-7, 5.04 ERA) makes his 17th start of the season when Oakland opens a weekend series at Arizona on Friday.
Angels: Daniel will make his season debut and his first major league start in the opener of a four-game series against Burbank native Jack Flaherty and the Detroit Tigers.