ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Los Angeles delivered a commanding performance on Monday night, defeating the Atlanta Braves 6-2 behind an exceptional outing from José Soriano and timely hitting from their lineup.
Soriano was in complete control on the mound, pitching eight strong innings while striking out 10 batters. He conceded just one run on three hits and maintained impressive accuracy, throwing the majority of his pitches for strikes without issuing a walk. After a slightly shaky opening inning, he settled in brilliantly, retiring 19 consecutive batters to put the Braves under pressure.
The Angels wasted no time asserting dominance, as Zach Neto smashed a leadoff home run on the very first pitch of the game. The momentum continued in the middle innings, where Los Angeles capitalized on control issues and defensive lapses to extend their lead with a three-run fourth inning.
Jo Adell added further firepower in the fifth inning, launching a 411-foot two run homer to strengthen the Angels’ advantage. The Braves attempted a late comeback with home runs from Drake Baldwin and Mauricio Dubón, but the effort fell short.
The absence of Mike Trout due to a hand injury did not slow down the Angels, who secured their third straight win with a well-rounded performance. Relief pitcher Jordan Romano closed out the game under pressure, earning the save and ensuring Atlanta’s late threat was contained.
The two teams will meet again on Tuesday, with Atlanta set to send Reynaldo López to the mound against the Angels’ Yusei Kikuchi.