The Los Angeles Angels did the unthinkable in Game 1 of its three-game series against the Athletics Monday night, breaking up a no-hitter in the ninth and walking it off three pitches later.
It looked like the Los Angeles Angels were about to be no-hit last night until two middle infielders stepped up and did the unthinkable.
The Athletics struggled to generate offense off Angels righty Walbert Urena as well, as the promising young right-hander completed six scoreless innings and allowed four hits and two walks while striking out four.
The A’s broke through in the top of the ninth inning though, when right fielder Lawrence Butler delivered a pinch-hit RBI single off righty reliever Ryan Zeferjahn to put the Athletics up 1-0 with Ginn going for the no-hitter in the bottom half of the inning.
Ginn would allow the first hit of the game to second baseman Adam Frazier to lead off the inning, setting up shortstop Zach Neto with a runner on and no outs.
Neto got a 2-0 sinker and didn’t miss it, sending it over the center field wall for an exhilarating 2-1 walk-off win.
“It’s just a crazy game we play, you know?” Ginn said following the loss. “I fell behind 2-0, threw a good sinker, and [Neto] was waiting on it and put a good swing on it. Tip your cap to him.”
Neto was fired up and gives credit to “the best ninth-inning speech” he’s ever had in his life; that’s the type of energy and fire the team needs to play with the rest of the way to pull itself out of the basement of the Major League Baseball standings.
Considering these Athletics currently lead the American League West standings at 23-24, the Angels are very much alive in the race if it can start winning games again.
Its best chance at making up ground is winning this four-game series, which continues with a pitching matchup between two lefties: Athletics’ Jacob Lopez and Angels’ Reid Detmers.
Lopez is 3-2 with a 5.80 ERA and 1.71 WHIP with 30 strikeouts through nine appearances (eight starts, 40.1 innings) this season.
Lopez’s last start came against the St. Louis Cardinals and he pitched fine, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits and three walks with two strikeouts over five innings of work to earn a no-decision.
Detmers is 1-4 with a 4.38 ERA and 1.26 WHIP with 53 strikeouts through nine starts (49.1 innings) and has been allowing a lot of baserunners recently. He pitched well against the Cleveland Guardians his last time out, allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks with six strikeouts in 5.2 innings, but took his fourth loss.
He has struggled with command recently, walking six batters against the Toronto Blue Jays two starts ago, but he looked sharper against Cleveland.
First pitch is at 6:38 p.m. PDT on MLB.TV and regional sports networks.
